Jan 2013
Leading Surrey-based law firm, Downs Solicitors LLP, were delighted to welcome President of the Law Society, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, to their offices on Thursday, 17 January 2013.
Mental health and human rights lawyer Lucy, is the managing partner of Scott-Moncrieff and Associates LLP, a virtual law firm that undertakes legal aid work on behalf of vulnerable children and adults as well as privately paid work for individuals and businesses.
During the course of her visit, Lucy spent time with the Partners talking about the challenges currently affecting the legal services market and to discuss ways in which the Law Society might address them. High on the agenda were the issues of regulation and what help firms need from the Society to be able to meet their obligations to both the Legal Ombudsman and the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority; the impact of ABS’ and how they are changing the face and future of High Street practices; and what help the Society can offer firms when negotiating with providers of Cloud services.
Commenting on the visit, Senior Partner, Chris Shipley said “We are pleased that Lucy took the opportunity of visiting us. The time she spent with us demonstrated a real concern about addressing the issues facing the profession. The past few years have been a time of rapid change for the legal services market, which combined with the ongoing economic challenges, has had a major impact on all industries, including the legal profession and has particularly affected local high street law firms throughout the UK.”
In her presidential year, Lucy has actively promoted the solicitors’ profession both at home and abroad, helping solicitors deal with the difficulties caused by changing economic and regulatory conditions. She has also supported initiatives and innovations driven by the profession to mitigate the effects of these changes on access to justice and the rule of law.
Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said:
“I know that the recession has been tough for many people and many small businesses. Many Law Society members are having a difficult time too, and it certainly isn’t the first time in my career that the death of the High Street has been predicted. Current economic and market conditions are exceptionally testing for many of our members, but I have met too many resilient, adaptable and committed solicitors to think all is lost. Even in tough times, it is comforting for clients to know that solicitors are qualified, insured and regulated, and remain the best source of legal advice.
There are three times as many solicitors in practice than when I qualified, and the current range of work and ways of practising would have been unthinkable then. I have complete faith in the profession’s ability to meet the challenges of our current hard times through the hard work and ingenuity for which the profession is known. ”
