Move to split Law Society's roles

Moves to break up the Law Society and give its representative functions to a body run by high street solicitors are to be put to a vote at the profession's annual general meeting next month.

The decision to throw down the gauntlet to the establishment based at Chancery Lane, central London, is the latest manifestation of the grassroots discontent that propelled Martin Mears, the society's anti-establishment president, into office last summer.

Motions about to be tabled by the fledgling Solicitors' Association for the July meeting will urge the society to follow the example of the medical profession's General Medical Council and British Medical Association, under which regulatory and professional interests are separated. They make clear the association's intention to seek to remove the entire ruling council of the society from office in order to achieve this.

The initiative has been pioneered by John Edge, a Bournemouth solicitor and the association's founder, and steering group member Anthony Bogan, who was elected to the society's ruling council last year.

The association has been campaigning for an end to predatory pricing in conveyancing and an end to the conflict between the Law Society's regulatory functions and the survival of small firms.

A division of responsibilities, leaving the society responsible for training, admission and conduct while giving the association the "trade union" function, could be brought about by amending the society's charter at the AGM. But that would require a two-thirds majority at the meeting and within the council.

While the council would be expected to veto such a move, the association has been advised by Michael Beloff QC that it is possible to amend the society's by-laws to permit it to end the term of office of all or any of the council members.