Regular readers will recall that the question I am most frequently asked is whether I enjoy being President (see [1994] Gazette, 16 December, 2).

During the last two weeks I have to admit to doubts!I have already paid tribute to the work of the Vice-President in the exchange of letters which has been published (see p.14).

The last few days must have been very upsetting for him and his family.

Whatever he has done, our sympathy must be with him and his family; whatever our personal feelings about him and the manner of his withdrawal as a presidential candidate we must look to the future.Before our AGM there are two matters which will have a major influence on our profession.

Both come from government: the first is a white paper on the future of divorce and matrimonial proceedings, the second a green paper on legal aid.

The first is due out this week, the second in mid May.

There will be much to do and it is important that the election does not def lect us from this task.

Hence my earlier comments about distraction.Back to the election.

The first since 1954.

First, let there be no misunderstanding, the bye-laws, which are made by the members at general meetings, provide for any member of the Council to be nominated for any of the three posts and there can be no criticism of a decision to use the democratic process whatever your views of the individuals involved.I am sure you will want to read carefully what the candidates say and you will make up your own minds as to who will make the best President to lead our profession next year.Much has already been said and written about our procedures.

It may be helpful to set these out.

The three elected posts are the President, Vice-President and Deputy Vice-President.

They are collectively known within the Law Society as 'the office-holders' and we work together as a triumvirate.By convention each post is held for one year.

Apart from membership of the Council, the other stipulation is that the office-holder must be under the age of 70 years.For as long as anyone can remember the Council has chosen a candidate for each post.

Apart from 1954, the candidates have been elected unopposed at the AGM.

The normal procedure is to choose the Deputy Vice-Presidential nominee who will automatically become the candidate for Vice-President and President in the ensuing years.The choice of a candidate for the post of Deputy Vice-President is made at the April meeting of the Council.

We are asked to choose which of our members is the best person to lead the profession in the ensuing three years.

We must observe the age bar of 70, and the convention is that the candidates have served five years on the Council.

The names of those willing to stand are circulated and each member is asked to choose the names of the two candidates between whom they believe the choice should lie.

The four candidates with the highest votes then go onto the next stage.The four people concerned leave the Council room.

This enables a discussion to take place on the relative merits of the candidates and gives an opportunity for any concerns to be raised.

Often there is no discussion as they will already be well known to their fellow members.Voting is by way of a single transferable vote.

The candidate who first obtains a majority of votes cast is the winner.

Whilst this may seem a convoluted process it does ensure that the President will be the person the Council feels is the best person for the job.It has been suggested that the person is likely to be an establishment figure.

Anyone who knows Rodger Pannone will realise how wrong that assumption is.

It is likely that candidates will balance one year against another, in terms of types of work, size of firm and areas of the country.

This is, in my view, healthy.One of the advantages of the system is that each President, while bringing their own abilities to the role has had a period of two years before becoming President to learn the job.

Coming as I do from a High Street practice, I have been conscious of the need to learn about the problems of the large international firms, for I represent them as much as the smaller practices with which I am more familiar.It also ensures that you are up to date with developments in the legal field, and gives you an opportunity to meet the people with whom you have to work.The main advantage is that it will ensure that policy is developed in a co-ordinated way.

Of course, each President brings his or her own programme, but it is helpful to develop that with your predecesso r and your successors.

It is not helpful to the Society if each succeeding President is seeking to undo the work of the predecessor.

This leads to much waste of time and effort.Manifestos have not proved necessary.

Because of the convention that you must be on the Council for five years, the Council will already have sufficient knowledge of what you stand for and how competent you are, for instance in handling meetings and advocating your point of view.During the last two years we have been working through the governance of the profession.

We decided that first we should look at communications.

This led to roadshows and my own extensive visits around the country, more I believe than any previous President.

I have put in hand reviews of the relationship between the specialist committees and the special interest associations, and the role of local law societies.

A review of the Council and the role of the President will follow next year, I hope.