Society moves forward with plans to allow non-solicitor partners to join law firms

LINKED PARTNERSHIPS: formal arrangements with accountants and others delayed

The Law Society looks set to move ahead with plans to allow law firms to appoint non-solicitor partners - but proposals authorising link-ups with accountants have been delayed, it emerged this week.

The proposals dealing with the creation of multi-disciplinary partnerships (MDPs) with non-solicitor partners - called 'legal practice plus' - will go before the Law Society's council for noting this week with a view to bringing them back next month for a vote.

Under the proposals, non-solicitors would be required to submit to Law Society regulation and abide by its rules of conduct through a contracting arrangement.

Partners of the firm would have to agree to supervise the non-solicitors and ensure they complied with their contractual obligations.

The business of the firm would also have to remain the provision of legal services with solicitors being in a numerical majority.

However, plans which would have seen law firms able formally link to with other organisations, for example, accountants, and enter fee-sharing arrangements have been delayed.

This would formalise the relationships that already exist between the likes of Garretts and Arthur Andersen.

Law Society director of policy Russell Wallman said work on linked partnerships had been delayed to take into account work being done by the regulation reform working party.

In the meantime, the Society is to take external legal advice to expedite work on the contractual aspects of legal practice plus.

Meanwhile at last weekend's S2K conference, a straw poll of delegates showed overwhelming support for legal practice plus.

Solicitor Digby Jones, director-general of the CBI, reiterated his strong support for MDPs, saying they should have been allowed many years ago.

'I don't think any solicitor worth his salt has got anything to worry about.

You'll just keep doing what you are good at.' However, Mr Jones said it was important that the Society ensured it had a role in regulating MDPs.

Janet Paraskeva, the Society's new chief executive, told solicitors they should be more worried about losing their position in the market than their independence.

'It's when Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer start offering legal services that you should really worry,' she said.

Sue Allen and Neil Rose