How are practitioners getting support and recognition for their own areas of work, expertise and interest?This is one of the key issues being addressed by the Law Society's task force which is looking at specialisation and the future of 'sections'.

For some practitioners there are plenty of opportunities.For others there are few, if any.

Consider the menu currently available:-- Joining a panel.

The Law Society currently operates panels in nine practice areas.

These range from planning through to family law and personal injury.

Work is under way to develop more schemes in response to requests from practitioners, particularly in legally-aided areas of work.

Membership of a panel gives formal recognition to a practitioner's specialist expertise.-- Joining one of the Law Society's two sections.

The probate and law management sections have been set up as interest groups and aim to give practitioners the opportunity to be part of a network of professional contacts and give access to practical benefits and services.

The Society's current policy is to establish other sections where little, if any, support currently exists for particular groups of practitioners.-- Become active in one of the Law Society's seven supported interest groups such as the Association of Women Solicitor, Local Government Group, Commerce and Industry Group.

These are generally free to join and have branch or local groups.-- Join one of the hundred or more practitioner associations.

These range in size from the largest, such as the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers or the Solicitors Family Law Association, through to smaller niche groupings such as the Immigration Lawyers Practitioners Association or the Housing Law Practitioners Association.

Each provides support and disseminates information.

Some are developing their own accreditation processes.-- Utilise expertise through involvement in one of the Law Society's nine specialist committees or their various sub-committees which consider issues of law reform and offer guidance to the profession.So what does this mean to practitioners? And how does this look to clients? Is it a confusing array of options with potentially many and various g roupings lobbying, offering practical guidance, giving recognition to specialist knowledge and expertise? Does that really matter?The task force has been asked to look at how the Society approaches recognition of specialist skills and expertise and how support and information can be given to those with common interests, whether by area of law or practice.It has been asked to consider the extent to which the Law Society should fulfil all these roles itself.

Should it just act as a pump primer by setting up support groups in particular areas? Could it work with existing practitioner groups or should it leave well alone.The task force has representatives from all of the groupings.

However, it is keen to hear from anyone else who has views on this issue.Please submit any comments or views to Gerald Newman: the Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1PL; e-mail gerald.newman@lawsociety.org.uk