Law society
Regulatory and advocacy body for solicitors in many jurisdictions.
A law society is a professional body for lawyers that also acts as a regulator, overseeing the training, qualifications, and conduct of its members. In legal systems that separate barristers and solicitors, law societies typically regulate solicitors, while a separate bar council handles barristers. Recently, governments in Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales, and Scotland have set up their own regulators for all lawyers, shifting law societies toward a primary role of advocating for their members.
- field
- Legal profession regulation and advocacy
- known_for
- Supervising training, qualifications, and conduct of solicitors; advocating for members
- regions
- Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Zimbabwe, India, Fiji
- related_organizations
- Bar council, bar association
Lore & Background
In Canada's common law jurisdictions, lawyers are both barristers and solicitors, so there is one law society per province or territory. In Quebec, Canada's only civil law jurisdiction, the legal profession is split between legal advocates, governed by the Bar of Quebec, and civil law notaries, governed by the Chamber of Notaries of Quebec. In the United States, unified bar associations are somewhat similar to law societies, but regulation of American lawyers usually takes place through the courts, and bar associations are typically voluntary membership organizations.
Reader's Guide
Law societies have historically played a significant direct role in the training, licensing, and disciplining of lawyers, often created by legislation. The conflict between being a regulator and a trade association is seen by many as giving rise to the recent move to government-sponsored regulators in several countries. Law societies also play a role as part of the justice system, concerning themselves with access to justice; they may offer paid and unpaid legal assistance to the public or specific target audiences, and have historically been involved in the development of legal aid plans. In Australia, law societies represent the interests of solicitors in each state and territory, while barristers' interests are represented by separately organized bar councils. The Law Council of Australia is a peak body representing the interests of all legal practitioners at the federal level.
Did You Know?
- The 1739/40 Society of Gentleman Practisers in the Courts of Law and Equity has been described as the first law society in the United Kingdom, though its relationship to the modern Law Society of England and Wales is unc
- In Canada's common law jurisdictions, lawyers are both barristers and solicitors, so there is one law society per province or territory.
- In Quebec, the legal profession is split between legal advocates, governed by the Bar of Quebec, and civil law notaries, governed by the Chamber of Notaries of Quebec.
- In the United States, regulation of American lawyers usually takes place through the courts, not through law societies.
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