New Zealand's parliament this month began work on a major overhaul of the country's legal profession, but planned reforms will not see an end to self-regulation.

However, QCs are set for a name change.

The Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill will see the introduction of several measures already familiar in England and Wales, such as licensed conveyancers, solicitor property selling, incorporated practices and conditional fee agreements.

There will be a new complaints-handling system, similar to the UK model.

The New Zealand Law Society will retain its dual role as the profession's regulator and representative, although the government will approve practice rules and present the society's annual report to parliament.

The Bill requires the society to separate its two functions, ensuring that practising certificate fees are only applied to regulatory work.

Membership of the society, and payment of a membership subscription, will be voluntary.

The society's current federal structure, under which membership of one of 14 district law societies is compulsory, will be dismantled.

The Bill said: 'The federal structure...

limits [the society's] ability to respond quickly and effectively to the changing needs of the profession, and to exercise the level of control required to ensure a consistent approach to regulation.'

The Bill also proposes establishing a rank of Senior Counsel to replace that of Queen's Counsel, and broadening the pool of candidates to all litigators, not just barristers practising on their own account.

A lawyer qualifies in New Zealand as a solicitor and barrister, but may take out a practising certificate as a barrister only.

Speaking at its launch earlier this summer, New Zealand Law Society president Christine Grice welcomed the Bill, saying it 'will preserve all the essential and distinctive features of the legal profession and provide modern, robust regulation and public protection'.

Plans to allow multi-disciplinary partnerships were dropped in the run-up to the Bill.