Society Council to consider splitting OSS and forcing solicitors to pay for complaints

The Office for the Supervision of Solicitors could be split up and an independent lay commissioner brought in to supervise consumer-related complaints, under radical plans to reform the Law Society released this week.A 'polluter pays' principle relating to complaints could help fund the reforms.

The proposals from the reform co-ordinating group will be put to the Society's ruling Council for discussion this week.

Under them, all complaints would come to a body under a commissioner separate from the Society.

Those that relate to consumer matters and inadequate professional service would remain with the commissioner.

All others, relating to conduct or discipline, would be transferred to a new all-encompassing standards board that would be part of the Society.

Neil Rose