You report the recent observations of Geoffrey Sandercock, a former treasurer of the Law Society, on the plight of sole practitioners contemplating retirement or closing down their practices to pursue other interests (see [2005] Gazette, 29 September, 4).

Run-off cover was provided by the Solicitors Indemnity Fund as part of the service that a mutual insurer provided for its members. Apart from extolling the virtue of solicitors being able to obtain professional indemnity cover from the open market on the basis of their claims records, no mention was made in any of the published documents that accompanied the change-over that a run-off cover equivalent to three years of annual premium would be imposed by approved insurers following cessation of practice. The explanation, by way of apologia, credited to Peter Farthing, chairman of the Law Society's indemnity committee, is not acceptable. Before the forthcoming re-organisation of the Society's governance following the Clementi review, this is a matter which the Law Society in its present incarnation should resolve before it is effectively dissolved.


Diane Long, Fahm & Co, Blackwood, South Wales