Time for the sector and society to recover not to reorganise legal services

Recovery not more regulatory reform should be at the heart of our efforts in the wake of Covid-19 when it comes to legal services, the Law Society of England and Wales said today in response to the publication of the Mayson report.

Law Society president Simon Davis said:

“Professor Mayson’s report undoubtedly is an interesting contribution to the debate about how to most effectively regulate the legal services sector.

“However the immediate focus of policy makers should be thinking about how to make better use of the current regulatory framework, deliver effective public legal education, resource legal aid properly and ensure the survival of the vulnerable parts of legal services that do so much to support people in difficult circumstances and to underpin a whole range of transactions, business and personal.

“Rather than diverting time and resource to analysing our regulatory frameworks, policy makers’ efforts should be directed at:

• Funding legal aid properly to ensure that everyone – not just the well-resourced – can access justice;
• Restoring trust in the crumbling criminal justice system; and
• Getting the court system and the economy up and running, ensuring that well-run firms do not go under as a result of Covid-19 -71% of high-street firms are currently under threat.”

Simon Davis added:

“In the current climate, legal services firms need more support, not the added burdens of a regulatory upheaval and uncertainty. Those that will be hit hardest are the smaller firms, which would have knock-on effects for the higher proportions of BAME partners, staff and suppliers at such firms, as well as the vulnerable clients they support.

“Professor Mayson’s recommendations on lawtech should be carefully considered. Lawtech encompasses a broad swathe of technologies that support traditional legal services, such as case management software, contract review tools and platforms for electronic signatures. These tools have been invaluable for practitioners to operate effectively during lockdown. Any attempts to regulate their use could stifle innovation and affect the sector’s competitiveness internationally.”

Kindly shared by The Law Society