Coping with change

As the new year dawns, the legal professions find themselves facing the prospect of even greater upheaval than during the tumultuous final decade of the last century.Soon in 2002 solicitors and barristers will have to confront the implications of the Office of Fair Trading's recommendations into competitiveness within the professions.

And, as we report this week, the Law Society Council is to consider allowing employed solicitors to advise the public.As the Society's regulation review working party acknowledges, such a move could have significant implications for practice in the high street.

Nonetheless, the efforts of the working party illustrate that the profession is not sitting back and reacting to OFT and government moves, but is looking at shaping its own future.Private practice is set to change dramatically when multi-disciplinary partnerships arrive.

The only obstacle left is the government's legislative timetable, but be in no doubt that partnership with other professionals is around the corner.And the list goes on: uncertainty over when economic recovery will arrive, a hardening of the professional indemnity market, an even greater reliance on new technology for marketing and administration, still more solicitors qualifying as higher court advocates - even the impact of the euro.

Progressive lawyers will survive in a climate of change, but they will have plenty on their plates.