Increase in regulatory fees

The Law Society has been reviewing the whole of its fee structure in the light of section 47 of the Access to Justice Act 1999.

Up to now practising certificate income has been able to be applied in support of all the activities of the Law Society.

However, section 47 will limit this in future to the purposes of:l The regulation, education and training of solicitors and those wishing to become solicitors;l The participation by the Law Society in law reform and the legislative process;l The provision by solicitors and those wishing to become solicitors of free legal services to the public;l The promotion of the protection by law of human rights and fundamental freedoms;l The promotion of relations between the Law Society and bodies representing the members of the legal professions in jurisdictions other than England and Wales.The Law Society has reviewed its fees and these tables detail the fees for the regulatory activities of the Society other than the practising certificate fees and compensation fund contributions.

The increases will take effect from 1 August other than those payable for membership of a specialist panel which change from 1 January 2002.

FUNCTION DESCRIPTION FEEAdmission fee Fee to cover admission to the roll of solicitors 100Authorisation of firms to employ Fee to be authorised by the Society to enable the employment of 100trainee solicitors trainee solicitors Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test Fee paid by lawyers qualified outside England and 400 Wales to be considered to transfer to become solicitors Rights of audience in the higher courts Fee paid by those wishing to be granted rights of audience in civil and/or 200-400 criminal courts.

Level of fee dependent on route taken to gain rights Student enrolment Fee to become a student member of the Law Society 80 Initial fee and re-enrolment fee Training contracts Fee paid to register individual training contracts with the Society 100Affiliate membership status Fee to allow foreign lawyers to become affiliate members of the Society 200Casework appeal procedures Student appeals Appeals from a first instance decision 100 Solicitor appeals Appeals from a first instance decision 200CCBE identity cards Fee for the production of a common form identity card for use by 100 EU lawyers throughout the European UnionCertificate of admission and fitness Fee to obtain certificate 100Certificate of attestation Fee to obtain certificate 100Certifying letters Letter to confirm record held by the Law Society 100Continuing Professional Development Fees paid to become an accredited provider of CPDIn-house authorisation 300In-house IiP accredited firm 200External provider 300 Distance learning courses 300Welfare Benefits Course 200Annual fee per course 25 (min charge 100) Copy certificates Fee for production of duplicate certificate 50Extracts from the roll Copy of the history of a solicitor since admission 100 Findings & orders Copies provided on request 25Immigration of foreign lawyers Verification of status 200Lexcel Fee associated with the award of the Society's quality mark 50-750 Level of fee dependent on size of firm Membership for Scottish and Northern Fee for Scottish and Northern Irish solicitors to be full members 200 Ireland solicitors of the SocietyProfessional Skills Course Fees paid to be able to offer core and elective elements of the PSC Assessment of providers' administration 200Validation of PSC core module 300Validation of elective PSC module 300Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test Providers Fee paid by teaching institutions wishing to be validated by the Society to 1,500 provide the Qualified Lawyers Transfer TestSearches Hourly rate for searches done on the database 100Vetting Provision of information by OSS to outside bodies for vetting purposes 50

PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATIONFees paid to join a panel and fees paid by the Society to those involved in the assessment processFUNCTION FEE FUNCTION FEE

Children panel Children rep 400 Family law Direct 400 Adult rep 200 Initial Exam 400 Local Authority rep 200 Re-sits 100 Reselection 200 Family mediation General 200 Conversion 200 Practitioner 200 Clinical negligence Initial and reselection 400 Immigration law Initial and reselection 400 Criminal Litigation PSQ/MCQ 100 Insolvency Initial and reselection 400 Stage 1 200 Mental Health Initial and reselection 200 Re-accreditation 200 Review Tribunal Planning Initial and reselection 500 Personal injury Initial and reselection 400