The representation board of the Law Society is responsible for approving the Society's legal aid policy.

The former chairman of that board has recently resigned from office on taking up a post with the Legal Services Commission (LSC) (see [2004] Gazette, 26 February, 5).

The Law Society has a major role to play in representing legal aid practitioners and it is important that it should be able to fulfil its obligations in its dealings with the LSC and government departments without fear of compromise, whether that fear be real or perceived.

We call on the Law Society to review its procedures for ensuring that all individuals, whether elected representatives or staff, who may leave the Society, enter into appropriate commitments to protect confidentiality and guard against potential conflict that might arise out of their change in interests or employment.

Helen Cousins, chairwoman, Criminal Law Solicitors Association; Roy Morgan, chairman, Legal Aid Practitioners Group; Robert Brown, president, London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association

Law Society response: All council members of the Law Society are under an obligation to use responsibly information that they obtain in the course of their duties.

We can assure the CLSA, LAPG and LCCSA that both the Society and the former chairman of the representation board have taken every sensible step to ensure that no conflict arises in this case.