Fond farewells

David McIntosh looks back at his year as Law Society president, pleased to have been part of the reform programme that is ensuring the emergence of a governing body to serve all solicitors well

I am not given to looking backwards, but I believe the Law Society has made much positive progress over the past two years.

The governance reforms put in place in the first of these years together with the recruitment of an empowered and effective chief executive, allowed me, unlike my recent predecessors, to concentrate, almost exclusively, on an ambassadorial and representative role during my year as president.

This has enabled me to devote time to highlighting the importance and versatility of the solicitors' profession through a series of themed events, speeches and writings.

The aim has been to recognise the valuable contributions of both private practitioners and employed solicitors in all aspects of business and private life.

It has also included promoting the importance of solicitors as the main gateway to justice - something of which all of us should be proud.

I have had the privilege to campaign shoulder to shoulder with criminal defence, family and other community lawyers.

Their ability to serve society depends on adequate public funding and we continue to fight for fairer remuneration for them.

With the assistance of the Lord Chancellor's Department and other branches of government, I have also been involved in campaigning on behalf of our international law firms for improved practice and establishment rights throughout the world.

As a City of London solicitor myself, I have enjoyed proving that the Law Society is capable of assisting City practices as well as those in the high street.

And that pleasure has been heightened each time a high street practitioner or a partner in a major City firm has written to say how much they have appreciated what the Law Society has been trying to achieve for them.

I hope the knowledge of this feedback will convince any remaining sceptics that the Law Society, in all of its functions, is for all solicitors.

At the same time, the Society has been determined to put our clients and consumer interests first in accordance with our duty to act in the public interest.

This has been shown in many ways, particularly in the priority we have given to improving our complaints procedures and the way we have fought the government's persistent attempts to erode the right to jury trial.

Our consumer-oriented programme of reform has included exploration of the issue of opening practice rights to employed solicitors, subject to essential safeguards.

This is against the backdrop of the Office of Fair Trading's declared intent - shared by the government - to bring an end to restrictive practices within the legal profession, unless they can be shown to be in the interests of consumers.

Equality and diversity and human rights issues have also been at the top of the Law Society's agenda.

I have found it both educational and personally enriching to lead this work which strives for fair treatment within the Law Society and across the solicitors' profession and abroad.

The Society has developed an equality and diversity strategy in consultation with minority solicitors' groups and other key stakeholders.

This was approved in principle by the Law Society Council in January and will be considered again by the council on 18 July.

But already much work has gone into achieving the strategy's main aim which is to make the Law Society an effective force for best practice across the solicitors' profession through its regulatory and representative functions, and also as an employer.

I am extremely grateful in particular to the minority groups whose help in formulating the strategy has been invaluable.

All of these activities have contributed significantly to the Law Society and the profession re-gaining an appropriate standing in the eyes of our stakeholders, in particular, our ultimate regulator the government.

I know from many visits to local law societies and other solicitor groups throughout the country that the Law Society still has some critics, but overall reactions tell me that we have improved our reputation with the profession at large and that there has been a re-emergence of self respect and pride among solicitors.

I have been privileged to play a part during this time of positive change and, whatever else, it has been a year which I shall certainly remember.

David McIntosh finishes his tenure as Law Society President on 18 July 2002 when he will hand over his badge of office to Carolyn Kirby