Every day we are reminded by the media that it is 30 or 100 years since this person died or that institution was born.

The reason is not, of course, because the numbers really matter, other than to set the historical context, but because the passage of measured years charts the time by which something may well be long overdue for a spell of our attention.This being the year when the Law Society celebrates 150 years since the grant of its charter, it seems appropriate to remember that we are also represented by the many local law societies of England and Wales.

They each have their own anniversaries, and are very much their own selves, but they are also bodies which assist and complement the work of the national Society in ways which are crucial to its success.At this point I have my own small confession to make.

As a solicitor I have never had much to do with my local law society and, until recently, had little idea of the extent of the role which the bigger and more active societies play.

The first thing I learned about them was that, constitutionally, they are all quite separate from the Law Society itself.Another was their antiquity.

In the early 19th century lawyers in prosperous and populous districts outside London were starting to form their own associations even before such an institution developed in the capital.

The Devon and Exeter Society was founded in 1808, and Birmingham in 1818 - an interesting historical point when many local societies today see a major part of their role as drawing their local interests to the attention of Chancery Lane.I have spoken to presidents, secretaries and administrators of local societies across the country, from Devon and Liverpool and from Bridgend to Bolton.

To my first and most basic question: 'Why do people belong?' the regular answer se emed to be that most solicitors - especially in areas where there is a strong tradition of membership - join without really thinking about it.

Individual firms often encourage new solicitors and trainees to become members.

In nearly all cases the membership fee is very small and, in the words of one local president, 'they have everything to gain and nothing to lose'.Solicitors (like me) who pay their subscriptions and do no more almost certainly fail to appreciate that the range of work done by local societies on their members' behalf, and services which they provide for them, is enormous.We are probably all aware that our local society receives consultation papers from the Law Society in Chancery Lane and reacts to them.

Local law societies normally have a number of sub-committees as well as a main committee (or council) which meet regularly and discuss those issues which concern their area of law and practice.

This provides the first opportunity for solicitors to air issues, complaints or even suggestions which concern the profession.

This is the first and vital channel through which we can all make our views heard, and to someone close and accessible to us.However much we may complain about our lot, and however obvious to us all that this or that practice could easily be improved, there are not many people who will wish to contact a complete stranger in Chancery Lane and ask them to listen to our views.In this way local societies perform two very important functions.

They are able to collect and communicate the views of the solicitors who live and work around them - views which may well be common throughout the profession as a whole.

They also champion any special interest which their members may have by virtue of practising in a certain area.Ironically, these kinds of highly specialised interests are as likely (indeed more likely) to arise in the capital as anywhere else.

The City of London Law Society is extremely active in promoting the special needs and interests of City solicitors, who may be involved in areas like shipping or aerospace law which are rarely practised else where.

Local, in this context, is not to be confused with provincial in either a literal or pejorative sense of the word.There is no doubt that local societies take this role very seriously.

A number who spoke to me were keen to point out that they took a pride in responding to nearly all the consultation papers passed to them for comment.

Many try to be pro-active as well as just reactive, and may make submissions not just to Chancery Lane but other organisations or government departments.

At least one local society (Holborn) was founded only 35 years ago because solicitors in the area felt the lack of a proper channel to make their particular views felt.If this is the main function of local societies, and the one which is absolutely vital to the efficient workings of the Law Society, it is only the beginning of the multitude of services provided by the different societies to their members.Many, including most of the larger societies in the major cities, make an income for themselves by running an education and training programme, providing members with courses to enable them to gain necessary 'points'.The societies I spoke to all reckoned to be able to provide courses at competitive rates, and usually tried to include some speakers of obvious local renown, such as local district judges.

Often the education programmes are put together with the co-operation of a local university, providing useful links with the academic world.Forging links in the local community, or with other professions or institutions, is another objective of many societies.

For example, the members of the Devon and Exeter Society have regular discussions with local judges, a local Bar liaison committee and frequent meetings with representatives of the local police.

They were even instrumental in the opening of a local bail hostel.The City of London Law Society has a liaison with the Bank of England to provide a continuous channel of communication for all its sub-committees with that institution.All local societies are ideally placed to take an active role in public relations, and the majority that I spoke to claimed to be on good terms with local media.

Manchester Law Society decided that part of its contribution to national law week would be a stand in central St Anne's Square where a rota of local solicitors would be available to speak to the public.Many societies also try to provide the kinds of services which their members need but which may not be answered by their own firms.

A common and unquestionably useful one is the helpline, whereby any member who has to struggle with an unfamiliar area of law and cannot get help from colleagues can get confidential advice from another member of the profession.Some societies hold a register of solicitors or potential trainees looking for work - again in confidence and without a large fee.

The Holborn Society will help firms who are looking to merge 'a confidential marriage bureau', as it was described to me.

None that I spoke to offered a similar service for a practice 'divorce'!A role which may not be chosen so much as thrust upon the local society is responding to complaints from members of the public.

Unaware of the constitutional niceties, many people will look up 'Law Society' in their local directory and ring the number they find there.

The local law society is therefore the first (and consequently very important) port of call for the aggrieved client.

All local societies have a procedure to explain to people what their rights and avenues of complaint are and, as a result of this, some have developed a local conciliation service for solicitors with their clients.

Members of the public are offered this as an option, which by no means prejudices them from going down more formal avenues.

They have to be told that the local law society has no formal disciplinary rights but the aim of these schemes is actually to get solicitor and client communicating with each other, which in most cases is what both sides want.Most local societies like to look outwards as much as inwards, and this may mean arranging meetings with other local law societies in their area or, in some cases, developing links with European lawyers and societies.

Manchester hosted the 1993 Jurist Europe conference, and is twinned with Lyon and Bordeaux.A number of societies organise exchanges for young lawyers, although I am told that the supply of English-speaking lawyers from the continent is always greater than French, German or Spanish speaking ones from England and Wales.They all have a social function, and all hold an annual dinner.

Many also organise other social events, and sporting activities which keeps people in touch with each other.

Most of the bigger societies have special meetings and social events for trainee solicitors and younger members, which gives people who have recently joined the profession a chance to meet each other.Another almost universal activity is charitable work.

Often this ties in well with social activities - charity balls, for example - an d the bigger societies raise thousands of pounds each year.

In view of the sometimes poor public image which lawyers have, it seems a shame that this is perhaps not as well publicised as it could be.I certainly had no idea that the City of London Law Society 'sponsored' a law centre in Tower Hamlets, with individual firms sending staff on secondment and the society making regular donations - last year to the tune of £50,000.

I suspect that not many members of the public know this either, which seems a shame and a missed opportunity.The huge service to the profession which is clearly being done comes largely from people who are prepared to put a lot of time towards something which will never give them, or their firm, an obvious and immediate benefit in fees earned.

As one local president said to me: 'I believe that the profession does have a common interest, and that is why I do it.