Law Society kicks out committee members who failed to undergo E&D training


Law Society: commitment to equality and diversity

Eight members of Law Society committees have been kicked off for failing to undergo mandatory equality and diversity training, it has emerged.

Changes to the society’s byelaws last year set all members of boards and committees a 30 April 2013 deadline to undergo the training or they would cease to hold office thereafter.

A report to this week’s meeting of the society’s management board said there had been a “sustained campaign to remind those obliged to complete the training of the requirement for them to do so”, including e-mails and phone calls.

“As a result, the total number of committee members who had not completed the mandatory training within the deadline was eight, of whom three were in any event due to stand down from their committees in the summer. These members have ceased to hold office on the committees on which they formerly served.”

Board or committee chairs were also required to complete further training on unconscious bias and to become “disability confident” by the same deadline. Three had not met this, but “technical and other delays had meant that this training had been made available significantly later than originally intended”.

As a result, the deadline was extended to the end of this month. One of them has so far completed the training.

Law Society president Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said: “It is a demonstration of the society’s commitment to equality and diversity that the council has made training compulsory, and testament to our volunteer community’s commitment that out of well over 300, only eight (three of whom were due to step down this summer anyway) failed to meet the deadline for completion.”

Meanwhile, proposals to strengthen ‘collegiality’ among members of the Law Society council and the way they express dissent appear to have been kicked into the long grass.

They were meant to be debated at its meeting last month, but a spokeswoman said: “Council decided to move the issue of collective responsibility to next business due to the busy agenda, including a debate on legal aid. The issue was around improving the way provisions were drafted – and it is open to the council to return to this in the future, though it is not currently on the future agendas.”

Tags:




Leave a Comment

By clicking Submit you consent to Legal Futures storing your personal data and confirm you have read our Privacy Policy and section 5 of our Terms & Conditions which deals with user-generated content. All comments will be moderated before posting.

Required fields are marked *
Email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Blog


Continuing competence still in the SRA’s headlights

The SRA’s second annual assessment of continuing competence leaves lawyers and COLPs in little doubt that the regulatory spotlight is still firmly on whether skills and knowledge are being maintained.


How the Oldham community helped my law firm against rioters

On the evening of 7 August, we anxiously watched CCTV footage from outside the building, waiting for the mob. Our blood ran cold when we saw a group of around 150 people approaching.


Essential tips for junior lawyers

Starting out as a junior lawyer can be daunting, with the challenge of balancing the demanding day-to-day responsibilities, honing legal skills, and engaging in profile-raising activities.


Loading animation