The Law Society’s Gazette, 16 October 2003

Conflict fears as Manzoor takes on complaints role

The government has paved the way for conflicts of interest and judicial review actions from solicitors by appointing the same person to oversee legal services complaints while wearing two different hats, a leading professional liability solicitor suggested this week. She was speaking out following the announcement from the Lord Chancellor that the post of Legal Services Complaints Commissioner would be filled by Zahida Manzoor, who is also the Legal Services Ombudsman.

Gazette 13 October 1993

Council endorses anti-bias policy

Wide-ranging anti-discrimination measures for law firms – including ethnic minority employment targets – were adopted last week by the Law Society’s Council. A new practice rule will outlaw discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, disability and sexual orientation.

Gazette 12 October 1983

Computerised register of wills

The advantages and disadvantages of a wills’ registry have long been debated. It seems that a practical, efficient and economical solution has been found in the proposed creation of a computerised register of wills, which would give the location of each will registered for a modest search fee of £2 per name. A pilot scheme will be run in London and if this proves successful it will be extended to comprise the whole country.

Gazette 11 October 1973

Legal education – ‘a moment of crisis’

The report of the Lord Chancellor’s Committee on Legal Education (the Ormrod Report) was published in March 1971 and its recommendations were based largely on proposals put forward by the Law Society.

The Ormrod course of training consists of three stages. First, the academic stage, secondly the professional stage, comprising both training in an institution and training in an office, and finally continuing education.

 The entrant starts with a degree, then takes a year’s vocational course at an institution, and thereafter, although admitted as a solicitor, he will not be allowed for two or three years to practise on his own account or as a partner, so that he will receive office training under supervision.

Motor Club – The Law Society’s Racing Car

On show at the Torquay Conference is the Law Society’s Racing Car. Jeremy Ferguson, chairman of the Motor Club, is putting on display the single seater racing car built for him by a Bideford firm. Jeremy says he has never experienced such vivid acceleration; it is sufficiently powerful to almost lift the wheels off the ground.

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