Rules of the Leicestershire Law Society
Proposed Changes to Membership Definitions- Approved at Exec Meeting 07/11/17- to be implemented in SGM
S.4 Membership of the Society-
4.1A candidate for election as a member of the society must be a solicitor practising or residing in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland.
Mergewith 4.3 as we will not differentiate between types of members
Therefore:
A Candidate for election for membership of the Society must be a solicitor practising or residing in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland or conducting or have conducted legal work within an appropriately regulated legal department or practice in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland or be a barrister or legal professional with a meaningful connection to Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland.
Whilst firm membership is sold as corporate membership, there is currently no definition for member law firms (Corporate Members). This is required so that we can distinguish with other membership types.
Therefore Proposed Addition:
Law Firms (Corporate Membership)
A candidate for election as a Corporate Member of the society must be a law firm, excluding ABSs, practising or residing in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland.
This will become 4.2
Barrister’s Chambers (Corporate Associate Membership)
4.2 A candidate for election for Corporate Associate membership of the society must be a set of Barrister’s Chambers comprising of members of the Bar Council with a professional connection with Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland.
Proposed Alteration:
To avoid confusion, lose Corporate from the definition so they are simply referred to as Associate Members
This will become 4.3
Individual Associate Membership
4.3 ACandidate for election for Individual Associate membership of the Society must be conducting or have conducted legal work within an appropriately regulated legal department or practice in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland or be a barrister or legal professional with a meaningful connection to Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland.
Proposed Alteration:
Remove- just one category of individual member.
So that our membership can include ABSs we will have a category of Group Membership:
Proposed Addition:
A candidate for group membership of the Society must be an organisation that is not a law firm, that employs at least one solicitor with a current practising certificate, with a professional connection with Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland.
This will become 4.4
Under the rules Candidates for Election to the LLS need to be elected by the Committee.
The relevant section is:
4.4 Everycandidatefor electionasa membershallundertakeifelectedtoconformtotheRulesandRegulationsoftheSociety
4.5 CandidatesshallbeelectedbytheCommittee.
As the rules were silent on when the committee might oppose the election of a member we propose the following:
Proposed Addition:
4.6 The Committee shall not oppose an applicant’s membership unless they consider that the election of the member is at odds with the aims or interests of the Society.