Sayer takes up reigns of Law Society finance rejig

Unsuccessful vice-presidential candidate Robert Sayer looks set to be appointed Law Society deputy treasurer after new president Tony Girling invited him to take the post.

Assuming his appointment is ratified at September's ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************r and he previously took a controversial line on Law Society finances. At a strategy committee meeting last December he proposed unsuccessfully that independent consultants be brought in to examine expenditure.

A Law Society spokesman denied Sayer's appointment was surprising. "It's partly an olive branch, but mainly it shows a commitment from Tony Girling to really improve the way the society runs its finances. He's got radical proposals, and Tony is prepared to bring in anyone he thinks can help implement them."

It remains to be seen whether the partnership will gel in the culture of rumour-mongering that persists at Chancery Lane.

But the spokesman said: "We don't spend our time worrying about people disclosing confidential information. Most council members are ordinary solicitors in private practice and most are squeaky-clean."