Daily Diary

LawSoc's double jeopardy

Posted 17/11/2006 by legalweekblogs.com SU

The Law Society was in top form once again this week, swinging into action to respond decisively to the Government’s new legislative programme, of which the Legal Services Bill is a key plank. Not that the Bill got much of a mention from Her Majesty, of course.

So decisive was the body’s reaction that it issued two separate statements from opposite ends of its press office – one from regulatory chair Peter Williamson and another from LawSoc tsarina Fiona Woolf. Impressive stuff…or would have been, if only the two had compared notes beforehand.

Williamson hailed the Bill as an “exciting, once-in-a-generation chance to put the interests of consumers of legal services first”. However, Woolf – perhaps not altogether surprisingly – slammed the reforms, sternly warning that “the Government must ensure that the impact on access to justice is considered”. Fancy that!

Perhaps this catch-all approach – which no doubt took a large chunk out of this year's £100m budget – explains why the Law Society earlier this month explained its uncharacteristic silence in response to a Government consultation on UK class actions by insisting it was “unable to respond to everything”.

A controversial Bill, yesterday

UPDATE: LAWSOC RESPONDS TO CARTER. AGAIN

Another combative missive was issued by the Law Society today (20 November), decrying the proposed abolition - sorry, reforms - of legal aid put forward by Lord Carter, with 28 'leading' (it says here) firms signing up to a letter to the Lord Chancellor outlining their opposition to the controversial plans (see actual, serious story).

Still, we all make mistakes - including whoever spelt the name of signatory firm CMS Cameron McKenna incorrectly (among other things) on the so-keen-it-hurts press release.

Meanwhile, The Dairy eagerly awaits the body's next fascinating response to Lord Carver's ongoing legal aid revue.