Law Society appoints professional 'champions' to lead best practice panels

Date Published: 27-07-2010

Law Society appoints professional 'champions' to lead best practice panels

The Law Society has appointed three Chief Assessors to take a leading role in developing its professional accreditation schemes.

The Law Society operates eleven professional accreditation schemes which are open to solicitors and their employees. The development of these schemes is central to the aims of the Law Society as a means of championing the provision of high-quality services across the solicitors’ profession.

Scheme membership marks legal professionals out as individuals who have specialist experience and expertise in a given area of law.

Members of each professional scheme have demonstrated, through an assessment process, that they are competent to undertake work in a particular area of law. Demonstrating this level of expertise is especially important when dealing with the vulnerable such as children.

Christina Blacklaws has been appointed as Chief Assessor for the Children Panel, while Stuart Barlow will take the lead for Family Law and Robert Robinson will be responsible for Mental Health. The appointment of the Chief Assessors contributes enormously to the maintenance and development of standards across these legal practice areas.

Other areas of legal practice covered by the schemes include Planning, Criminal, Clinical Negligence, Family Mediation, Civil and Commercial Mediation, Immigration and Asylum, Personal Injury.

The administration of all schemes, and the processing of all applications, is undertaken by the Accreditation Unit based at the Law Society’s Chancery Lane office.

The Law Society took over responsibility for the accreditation schemes in July 2009 from the Solicitors Regulatory Association (SRA). The hand over from the SRA provides an opportunity to build upon the standards and develop the schemes further.

Law Society President Linda Lee said, "We are delighted to have the expertise and knowledge of the Chief Assessors to help us to develop these valuable schemes. The schemes are critical for legal professionals who need to demonstrate their expertise to the public courts, statutory bodies and most importantly to members of the public".

Ends

Notes to Editor

More than 15,000 legal professionals, solicitors and solicitors employees are recognised through the Law Society’s accreditation schemes.

For more information call the Law Society Press Office on 020 7320 5902