REPORT
Council Member’s Report
Sushila Abraham
A
s we approach the summer and have all come out of the difficult two years, I hope you have all managed to get back on track with work. The lockdown has made significant changes to the way we practice, and firms have become more accommodative to new structures and working from home arrangements. As you will all be aware, many representations were made against the SRA’s preferred option of closing the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF). This has been successful and, from the feedback, it is clear that the question now is not one of closure or loss of the Fund but how it can effectively continue in the future to give protection to consumers and retired practitioners. At last, the SRA are listening to representations and open to dialogue, rather than proceeding with the closure of the Fund. This has all been due to the representations from the profession and a large number of people. So, we can make a change as a profession if we stand together, which is why we all need to respond to consultations. Our criminal justice system is in crisis, and we have seen backlogs in the courts spiral to an unprecedented level. This has left victims, witnesses and defendants waiting years for justice. The government’s response sends a clear message that the Ministry of Justice is simply not serious about tackling this crisis. We need proper investment in police stations and magistrates’ court work. The overall package is short of the minimum identified by Sir Christopher Bellamy as necessary to keep the network of criminal defence services functioning. It does not help if only part of the system is economically viable. The number of criminal legal aid firms has almost halved in the last 15 years, and Law Society research shows that duty solicitors are ageing and increasingly scarce in some parts of the country. The Law Society has provided guidance on the position of criminal defence solicitors on the situation which can be found on the Law Society website.
The long awaited no fault divorce is now available to clients, thus helping more people to avoid having to apportion blame on their spouse. The Ukraine crisis has affected some 21 law firms who have now left citing incompatibility between their firms’ values and the Russian government’s actions. There are some law firms who have closed their offices in Ukraine with help from the Law Society. The firms are still supporting their colleagues and helping them to move to a safe country. On 25th March 2022, the Law Society launched a new questionnaire to help firms assess the cyber security arrangements of the Chambers whose Barristers they instruct. The form has been standardised jointly by the Law Society and the Bar Council www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/cybersecurity/ information-security-questionnaire. I hope all of you will check that you have registered on “My Law Society” so that you can continue to receive updates and practice notes from the Law Society. As usual, if you have any matters that you wish to raise with the Law Society then please do not hesitate to contact me or Alastair. In the meantime, and as we approach the summer vacation, I would like to take the opportunity of wishing all of you a safe summer, and please stay safe and well. ■
Sushila Abraham Council Member
SURREYLAWYER | 27
