Law Society acts on threats by Government

The Law Society is creating a compliance board to oversee its complaints procedure in response to threats from the Government to set up an independent supervisory body.

Up to half of the board will be lay members appointed by the Master of the Rolls. The board will work on regulatory issues, including any problems with the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, which is currently trying to hasten its procedures to meet the Lord Chancellor's Department's (LCD) targets. If not met, the LCD has said it will set up an independent regulator.

The Law Society Council has also voted to increase its lay members from 75 to 100.

In addition the membership now will not vote in its leadership directly. The council will form an electoral college to elect the deputy vice-president, who will succeed to vice-president and then president over a three-year tenure. It is thought this amendment will save £95,000 a year for a process in which only a minority vote.