The real reformers in this election are John Aucott and myself.

Our programme for change addresses the concerns of the whole profession - partners in small or large firms and the solicitors who work with them; solicitors in commerce and industry and local government; young solicitors as well as the more senior.

But our key message is that our future is in all our hands.

Whoever our clients may be our best advertisement is to give them the best quality of service.Our main opponents, Mr Mears and Mr Sayer, want to turn the clock back.

1984 seems to be their preferred year! They want us to be the only service business where the client comes second.

Their ill thought out policies will not work.

They have no vision for the future.We are a young profession.

Over half our members are under 40.

We need to take the decisions now that will enable us to succeed in the increasingly competitive world we all face in the future.

Tearing everything down will not achieve that.

I am committed to building constructively for the future, starting with the good work the Law Society already does.Above all, at the core of our policies in this fast changing consumerist world, we must remain a profession dedicated to service with appropriate reward and to the job satisfaction that brings with it.

The choice before the voters could not be clearer.

With us the profession can go forward with a practical and realistic programme of reform and modernisation.

The alternative is a retreat into narrow-minded and inward looking protectionism.

That approach will fail.I have worked with John Aucott for ten years.

We are from different backgrounds of practice.

I work in a high street firm heavily committed to legal aid.

He works as a commercial solicitor in a major regional firm.

Our ideals and objectives are complementary.I highlight below some of the ma in points from our programme for change.

As a team we have the experience and the ability to push our programme of reform through.

We have the support of the Council.

We can unite our profession behind us.-- Supporting professional practice.

The Law Society must maintain and enhance profitable professional practice.

This requires negotiations with outside bodies as well as practice support for members working in all areas of the law.

It does not involve the creation of cartels or artificially inflating bills by charging overheads as a disbursement.

We want the profession to be proud of its service and the fees it charges.

In conveyancing we will promote a guideline fee structure.

We are committed to the further development of practice management standards.

It is essential to maintain and enhance the good work of the international division.

Solicitors provide vital commercial services in the European Union and the wider international community.

We will continue the fight for rights of audience for employed solicitors.-- Legal aid.

Legal aid issues will be of particular importance in the next two years.

It is essential to fight the government's green paper proposals where they harm our clients and our members.

Above all, clients' access to high street solicitors will be seriously threatened if legal aid is to be limited solely to contract holders tied to the government's purse strings.

The core of our work will be bringing these issues before the public and fighting them on behalf of the profession.-- Cost of practice.

We will promote a full review of the main elements of the cost of practice.

The practising certificate can be reduced by 10% within the first 12 months.

We want to adapt the indemnity fund so that the main burden of indemnity insurance is borne by those who create the claims.

We are looking at risk banding, penalty deductibles, and no claims bonuses.

The compensation fund needs a thorough review and we will promote a consultation on that.

In particular, immediately after our election, we will appoint a member-led project team to review all Law Society activities and to set priorities for its work.-- Complaints handling.

We believe that complaints are dealt with most effectively by solicitors handling them directly in-house.

But we will promote the reform of the complaints handling by the Society.

The main work of the new agency replacing the SCB will be the rooting out of fraud and the taking of speedy action against rogue firms.-- Members' services.

Our principal aim for members' services and communications will be to re-focus the Law Society.

We want to create a service culture.

The roadshow programmes will continue.

We will work on the provision of subsidised help on practice management, networking, mergers and information technology.

The provision of helplines and information packs will be continued and developed.-- Training issues.

The future of the profession depends on young people.

They must be well trained, and we do not support artificial limitations of numbers.

The profession grants nearly 4000 training contracts a year.

It will not stand for a reduction to 1000.

The profession already controls the numbers of entrants it needs by the number of training places on offer.

It does not need to be told what to do.I cannot promise Utopia.

Some of the decisions that the profession will have to make in the next few years will be hard.

What I can do is to be honest and to offer support to those who realise that life has changed forever.

I believe I have the experience and the ability to achieve change, and in the process, to keep the profession united.