The Law Society today called on solicitors to 'stand up and be counted' to oppose rule changes that could seriously damage the profession’s reputation. Handbook reforms proposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority threaten to undermine confidence in solicitors both at home and abroad, vice president Christina Blacklaws told 300 solicitors gathered for the annual Risk and Compliance conference in London.

Blacklaws cited moves to allow solicitors to carry out non-reserved legal services from unregulated entities. There is no evidence this will reduce prices, she said. Moreover, it is 'too high a price to pay' for clients, who will potentially be deprived of the protections currently afforded by professional indemnity insurance, legal professional privilege and the compensation fund.

Blacklaws also hit out at plans to remove requirements for supervision and to enable sole solicitors to operate as 'freelancers' without offering the protections of a regulated firm.

At present, Blacklaws stressed, it does not matter that clients do not understand the legal regulation framework, as redress mechanisms such as PII are built in. 'If the SRA presses ahead clients will need to know they are taking a risk in using an unregulated firm,' she said. Yet it is 'unrealistic' to expect clients to know the difference, she added.

Blacklaws cited the reputational damage that could arise from 'just a few' instances of clients suffering loss when they do not use a regulated firm - such as the beneficiaries of a negligently written will going uncompensated. The fallout could seriously 'undermine confidence in the entire legal system', she said.

'We need you to stand up and be counted or these changes will come in,' Blacklaws declared.