The Law Society should tap the expertise of local authority lawyers to help it through its post-Clementi transition, the incoming chairman of Solicitors in Local Government (SLG) said this week.

Speaking at the SLG's 47th annual weekend school, Nigel Snape, head of legal services at Malvern Hills District Council, said: 'With all the changes coming to the Law Society, we believe that local government solicitors have a lot of experience in dealing with that kind of process. The structure is not that dissimilar to what we deal with at a local authority.'


He said: 'It is important that we have a strong partnership - we want to work hand in hand for the benefit of both organisations. A strong SLG is going to be good for a strong Law Society [and vice versa]. We are also concerned to ensure the Law Society is seen to represent all solicitors, not just private practice.'


The 4,000-strong SLG is moving from an inclusive membership to one where solicitors have to opt in to the group.


'We feel that it is very important that we have as broadly based a membership as possible,' Mr Snape said. 'We are working hard to promote opting-in, not least because that affects how much influence we have within the Law Society.'


He added that the group is planning to introduce associate membership for barristers and legal executives working in local government.


Mr Snape took over as chairman from Helen Liddar of Oxford City Council, and will serve for one year. This year's weekend school was held at the University of Warwick.


Simon Goacher, a solicitor at Wirral Council, was named local government young solicitor of the year at the SLG's annual dinner.


Mr Goacher joined the council in June 2002 and specialises in housing and community safety. He was recognised for his work on tackling anti-social behaviour and on a transfer of housing stock.


The award is open to solicitors in local government who have less than ten years' post-qualification experience.