Law Society acts for sole practitioners facing conveyancing panel axe

Date Published: 21-08-2009

Law Society acts for sole practitioners facing conveyancing panel axe
 
The Law Society is fighting for the livelihoods of its sole practitioner conveyancing members and demanding they stay on the Britannia/Co-Operative conveyancing panel. 
 
The move comes after the Society was alerted on Wednesday 19 August to the fact that the Building Society intended, immediately, to serve one month's notice on 3,600 sole practitioner conveyancing panel members. 
 
The Society has requested an urgent meeting with the Chairman Bob Burlton and has written to the building society to express its deep concerns about the impact this move will have on these businesses and access to justice. 
 
Law Society President, Robert Heslett, writes in his letter: "I was shocked and saddened that such a step should be taken in the depths of the most severe recession since the Second World War. 
 
"The implications for the 3,600 businesses and the people employed by those businesses are stark, to say the least, and could have a knock on effect on access to justice if any are forced to close as a result.

“It is particularly disappointing that this decision should come from organisations with the reputation and standing of the Britannia Building Society and the Co-operative movement who understandably make much of their long-standing commitment both to the mutual ideal and the communities they serve."

Read the full letter here
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