Mental health and disability committee - vacancies for membership

The Law Society's mental health and disability committee is responsible for the Society's work on the law and legal services for people with any form of mental or physical disability or disorder including elderly people, spanning the full range of private client work, family, civil and criminal law.

It also deals with medico-legal/ethical issues and aspects of social security and social welfare law.

The committee's tasks are to provide solicitors with practice advice and guidance in acting for these client groups; to represent practitioners' interests and those of their clients in responding to government consultation papers and other initiatives; and to promote improvements in law and procedure.The committee currently has four vacancies and seeks applications particularly from legal or lay practitioners actively involved in relevant areas of law, with skills and/or experience in one or more of the following areas:l Representation of local authority interests in relation to the relevant client groups;l Knowledge of social security law and practice;l Representation of people with learning disabilities;l Representation of black and ethnic minority groups;l Representation of elderly people.People from ethnic minorities are currently under-represented on the committee, as are practitioners from the south-west and north-east.

Applicants should have an active interest in law reform and practice issues of importance to the profession, and be able to contribute ideas and practical experience through attendance at committee meetings (five per year - attendance expenses paid) and working parties.For an application pack, contact Ashmita Shah at the Law Society on 020 7320 5760; fax: 020 7320 5673; e-mail: ashmita.shah@lawsociety.org.uk or write to the Law Society at 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL or DX 56 London/Chancery Lane.

The deadline for applications is 27 September 2001.