Law Society lays the groundwork for multi-disciplinary partnerships

Partnership: Non-solicitors may contract with Law Society

Plans to allow non-solicitors to become partners at law firms and tie them to Law Society regulation through contract will be unveiled this week.In the wake of the American Bar Association upholding its ban on MDPs (see page 8), the Society's ruling Council will hear a progress report from its multi-disciplinary partnership (MDP) working party on two proposed 'interim solutions' as it moves down the road to lifting its ban on MDPs.Under 'legal practice plus', non-solicitors would become partners in a law firm so long as the business remains the provision of legal and ancillary services.The non-solicitors would agree by contract to submit to the Society's regulatory powers and observe the rules of conduct.

The solicitor partners would be required to supervise the non-solicitor partners.

Ultimate control would remain with solicitors, who would need a numerical majority (except in the case of two partners).The other solution is 'linked partnerships', which would allow law firms to reach fee-sharing agreements with another business.

Solicitors would again have to retain control and their relationship with the linked business would be made clear to clients.Chris Arnheim, senior partner of Landwell, the firm associated with accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers, welcomed the developments, and said it looked like 'we're going to get a sensible result soon'.

Neil Rose