From the outset, one thing has been clear to me.

The profession is not interested in the internal politics of Chancery Lane - it wants to see results.

For that reason, putting the profession first is the Law Society's top priority.

It has to be a strong professional body that represents solicitors effectively and efficiently.A powerful, respected and influential Law Society organised to meet today's challenges can only be built by a profession pulling in the same direction with shared commitment.

For that to be achieved we have to listen to the profession - this is what the 'Reach Out' initiative is all about.Since July we have made more than 50 visits to solicitors nationwide, and we will continue to meet with leaders, groups, associations, the City, senior partners and opinion-formers.

We are making a conscious effort to get out of Chancery Lane and listen to all employed lawyers.

Nothing will be achieved if we do not get vital feedback from all areas of the Society and the profession.The Law Society's role is to lead the way in pressing for reform, to assist solicitors and their practices to thrive in rapidly changing times, and to continue to lobby government and all relevant parties when unfair, ill-considered legal changes are proposed by others.Most recently - following intense pressure from the Law Society, the Criminal Law Solicitors Association, the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association, and the Legal Aid Practitioners Group - the Legal Services Commission has at last agreed to publish information on rates of pay for publicly funded criminal work.

We will continue to seek fair and workable contracts with the Commission and work to ensure that the new contracts are not used as a cost-cutting exercise.We have challenged mortgage lenders who will not instruct the borrower's solicitor if he or she is a sole practitioner.

The Society has asked the Council of Mortgage Lenders to review this discriminatory practice.

If need be, we will invite the Office of Fair Trading to investigate whether this unfairly restricts the client's choice of solicitor.The Law Society council recently agreed to speed up the move towards multi-disciplinary partnerships.

The initiative 'legal practice plus' is a solution for solicitors who, while remaining in control of their practices, wish to work with as accountants, practice managers and marketeers to provide a wider range of services.Another area where we have been working for the benefit of the profession is in e-conveyancing.

The Society seized the initiative to be involved in the task of setting up the pioneering National Land Information Service, which will be a unique, on-line conveyancing service.

It will speed up conveyancing by eradicating some of the delays for which solicitors are wrongly blamed.The need to do better in all areas of the Society's activities is at the forefront of the reform programme, the aim of which is to strengthen c ustomer care, reduce complaints, and enhance the Society's standing in the eyes of government.A positive response to the reform consultation will provide a Law Society better able to meet the needs of all solicitors and their clients.

If you have not completed and returned the reform questionnaires, now is the time.We all want a Law Society that is relevant, quicker at making decisions and better at delivering results.

Enhancing the reputation of the Law Society is at the top of our list of priorities and we are determined to make real changes before the end of the current council year in July 2001.In order to make 'Reach Out' succeed, we need all solicitors to be ambassadors for each other, and to reach in and take advantage of what a modern Law Society provides.