Computer lawyers plan upgrade

Society For Computers And Law: aim to encourage growth in IT law as specialism.

The Society for Computers and Law (SCL) is set to overhaul its 'cumbersome and outdated' structure in a bid to streamline its services and spread the word about the benefits of IT.

The SCL's joint chairmen, Baker McKenzie partner Harry Small and Laurence West-Knights QC, decided to integrate the SCL's IT law remit with its applications function because many members are interested in both aspects.The changes were approved by the board last week, and will now be proposed at an extraordinary general meeting to be convened shortly.

It is hoped that the changes will be fully in place by June.

The old executive of the society will be replaced with a trustee board, comprising of six members with individual responsibility for heading the SCL's committees.

The council will also be disbanded so that former council members can spend more time serving on the trustee board and the committees.Regional groups will also be formed to cover the whole of the UK, with responsibility for setting up events and activities in their areas.The president will no longer be a director or trustee, but will serve in a solely consultative role, and the SCL has recruited Farrer & Co's Anne-Marie Piper as specialist legal adviser to oversee the society's charitable status.

Mr Small said he hoped the changes would lead to the SCL providing a more efficient service.

'We have been feeling that we are a collection of generalists without specific responsibilities for specific activities, and that this is not in line with best practice management,' he explained.

'Our aim now is to encourage growth in IT law as a specialism, and to teach lawyers about the benefits of keeping up to date with IT.'We also want to make sure that the UK has efficient and well-drafted IT laws, and to act as a catalyst for ensuring best practice in IT applications by disseminating information on the latest hardware and software.'Paula Rohan and Jeremy Fleming