What is The Role of The Law Society?

An article which explains what it is that the Law Society does. It also discusses how the Society can be useful, and what schemes it runs. The Law Society is the professional representative body for solicitors in England and Wales. On behalf of its solicitors it helps to lobby the government and related organisations or bodies that are responsible for regulating the legal profession.

Through the Law Society’s independent Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the Law Society regulates over 100,000 solicitors across England and Wales. The SRA drafts and enforces the Solicitors Code of Conduct, and handles disciplinary matters relating to breaches of that code. The Law Society also provides training and advice for its members.

If you are consulting a solicitor or using a referral service, the strict regulations imposed by the Law Society, the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Ministry of Justice Claims Management Regulator mean that you can be confident of the standard of service you will receive. It is a good idea to check that the solicitor you are engaging is registered with the Law Society. Contact Law complies with the SRA code of conduct and will only ever refer you to a solicitor who is registered with and regulated by the Law Society.

The Law Society operates additional accreditation schemes. Solicitors can choose to become a member of these, and are designed to show that a lawyer’s expertise in a given area of law has been verified, and that the Law Society acknowledges or certifies their accomplishments in that particular field. While solicitors without accreditation won’t necessarily be inexperienced in the particular field, the accreditation does show that the solicitor has regulated knowledge and experience verified by the Law Society.

If you are dissatisfied with the service provided by your Law Society solicitor, you can raise your concerns with the independent and impartial Legal Complaints Service, which is also affiliated to the Law Society.

The body plays an important role regulating solicitors, lobbying on their behalf and providing the public with a formal complaints method.