My partners and I have been astonished that the Law Society Council has agreed to use a surplus of not less than £50 million from the SIF to make payments towards the Law Society's staff pension scheme, and this without authority (nor, so far as we are aware, even consultation) with the profession.

It is standard practice for equity partners to pay Law Society fees on behalf of the solicitors within individual practices, and also to make payments to the SIF. This is a matter that should be put to the affected partners. If they then vote in favour of the contribution, then all well and good.


For our part, we would require justification as to why funds paid for a specific purpose are to be diverted to an entirely different one, and a full explanation from the trustees of the fund as to why this enormous shortfall has come into being, and what alternative strategies were considered.


John Dowling, Runhams, Shipley, Yorkshire