Every vote counts

The Law Society Council last week gave the green light to a major part of a new corporate governance structure for Chancery Lane.

A main...The Law Society Council last week gave the green light to a major part of a new corporate governance structure for Chancery Lane.

A main board will be created, under which will come five subsidiary boards with varying delegated powers but all answerable to the council and subject to a scrutiny committee.The purpose is to set objectives for an annual programme of work and to monitor performance within an overall policy agreed by the council.

It will come as a relief to solicitors that this side of the reform package now looks set to be in place.That leaves the proposals that were put before the recent special general meeting and will go to a profession-wide vote.

The reforms which seek to create greater representation on an expanded council through more specialist practitioner membership, up to 5% lay membership and membership for trainees and students attempt to address one of the most frequently heard criticisms of the Society: that it is out of touch with the grassroots.Solicitors could vote for the status quo, a model which has long been in place and has arguably served them well, if reflecting the structure of the profession as it was 50 years ago.

Alternatively, they could opt for a model which the reformers suggest will bring the Society and its council into the 21st century by recognising that wider representation is crucial if solicitors, the government and clients are to retain faith in the Societys ability both to regulate and to represent.It would be counterproductive for solicitors to be apathetic about this vote.

Wherever they stand in this debate, it is vital that they take the few minutes required to fill in the ballot paper.