Law Society ‘maverick’ Christopher Digby-Bell has been voted off the body’s ruling council.
Digby-Bell, the chief executive and legal director of property fund Palmer Capital Partners, held one of the City seats on the Law Society Council. He has been replaced by Linklaters partner Alexandra Marks after a controversial stint in his seat.
In 2001, Digby-Bell organised a pressure group of 15 City lawyers to lobby for a reform package he had put together for the society. The move prompted then president David McIntosh of Davies Arnold Cooper to label Digby-Bell a ‘maverick’.
He has been a vocal supporter of former Law Society vice-president Kamlesh Bahl, who won a discrimination case against the society in an employment tribunal two years ago.
Digby-Bell said: “I leave, as I arrived, with the Law Society stuck in a cul-de-sac of mismanagement.”
Digby-Bell did not campaign to keep his seat. He said: “I decided not to campaign because Linklaters acts for two of my companies’ multimillion-pound joint ventures. From the outset, I took the view that this precluded me from campaigning against one of their partners in case it prejudiced my companies’ joint venture relationships.”
He added: “Alexandra Marks thoroughly deserved to win and it is encouraging that a firm of Linklaters’ quality wants to invest a senior partner’s time in the Law Society.”
Cobbetts, Lee Crowder aim for May merger
Manchester and Leeds firm Cobbetts and Birm- ingham’s Lee Crowder have set themselves an October deadline for concluding their merger talks.The two firms, which have known each other for many years, decided to investigate a possible tie-up in March this year. If the green light is given in October, the firms will aim to complete […]
