Question of ethics

Q My accountant has told me that he wishes to conduct my firm's end-of-year audit from his own office instead of coming to my firm to do this.

I did not think this was possible.

Am I right?A Rule 40 of the Solicitors' Accounts Rules1998 states that your accountant must except in exceptional circumstances carry out the audit at your offices.

However, it is possible to send data to the accountant electronically for initial examination there to try to cut down on the time spent in your office.Please noteChanges to practice rule 6(3)Law Society practice rule 6(3) has been amended to enable commercial conveyancers to continue to use the City of London Law Society's certificate of title and short form report on title.

These documents were recognised under the amended rule on 2 May 2001 for use in commercial cases of separate representation where the borrower's solicitor provides a certificate of title to the lender.

The amended rule has been published (see [2001] Gazette, 24 May, 45) and is on the Society's Web site at www.lawsociety.org.uk (see 'commercial' under 'specialisms').

Copies are also available from professional ethics, tel: 0870 606 2577.

Limited liability partnershipsThe legislative changes which provide for LLPs came into force on 6 April 2001.

For practitioners to 'convert' to LLP status, the process will involve two successive steps - registration as an LLP at Companies House followed by recognition as a recognised body by the Law Society under the new Solicitors' Incorporated Practice Rules 2001.

These rules also came into force on 6 April 2001 and now regulate all incorporated practices, whether companies or LLPs.

An information pack including the new rules is available from Professional Ethics.

l Question of ethics is compiled by the Law Society's professional ethics guidance team.

Send questions to Austin O'Malley, the Law Society, Ipsley Court, Berrington Close, Redditch B98 0TD; DX 19114 Redditch; tel: 020 7242 1222.