Using ‘Dear Sirs’ in legal correspondence
BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour (from 23:27) examines the use of ‘Dear Sirs’ in legal correspondence with clients.
A Law Society spokesperson is quoted, saying: “We encourage replacing ‘Dear Sirs’ with gender inclusive salutations.
“To strike the right balance between best practice, inclusivity and appropriateness we recommend using ‘Dear’ followed by the person's name or job title, and to avoid using pronouns if they haven't been established. If it is not possible to identify the person, use phrases including ‘To Whom It May Concern’, or a less formal options such as ‘good afternoon, morning, evening.’”
Axiom Ince
Jonathan Goldsmith, a Law Society Council member and chair of our Policy & Regulatory Affairs Committee, writes in a personal capacity in the Gazette about the fact that solicitors are regularly told to the right thing, particularly by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
He mentions the Legal Services Board’s independent review of the SRA’s handling of the Axiom Ince fallout.
He said: “All of which leads us to the huge story from last week, about the SRA’s own failings in relation to its intervention in Axiom Ince. The Gazette has covered the report’s findings comprehensively. Its editorial in last week’s magazine said the SRA was in denial about the recommendations, and that red flags had been waving madly for a while, including within the SRA itself.
“It is the SRA’s role to ensure that solicitors behave, that they accept responsibility and own their conduct. The Gazette’s editorial said that urgent questions were being asked about the SRA’s ability to regulate solicitors.
“What happens if a regulator which has been publicly exposed does not respond in the way in which it expects those whom it regulates to behave? What happens?”
Client accounts
At the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s Compliance Conference yesterday, attendees were told that the SRA is launching a consultation on client accounts next week, Legal Futures reports. It is expected to go into more detail than its consumer protection review discussion paper in the summer.
It cites our 2024 Financial Benchmarking Survey, which found that total net interest income across 147 firms, more than two-thirds of which had turnovers of under £10m, rose from £2.6m in 2022 to £27.5m in 2023.
Also covered in the Gazette.
Read our 2024 Financial Benchmarking Survey and our press release on the SRA’s consumer protection review paper
Pro Bono Week
Legal Futures and the Gazette continue coverage of Pro Bono Week 2024, as the UK legal community marks the significant contributions of lawyers who offer free legal services for those in need.
Law Society president Richard Atkinson said: “We are proud to be celebrating all the incredible and selfless work lawyers do to help vulnerable people access justice when they need it the most. We would also like to encourage further members of the legal profession to consider more ways they can help make a real difference in people’s lives.
“Everyone has the right to access to justice, but pro bono work and other volunteer projects cannot help everyone. Likewise, lawyers who volunteer their time to do this work should not be taken for granted. Whilst pro bono can truly change lives, it is not and can never be a substitute for legal aid and a properly funded justice system.”
Renters’ rights
Pro Manchester and Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce report that housing issues faced by renters are on the rise, with the University of Salford’s pro bono clinic seeing a 17% rise in enquiries compared to 2023.
The piece mentions the Law Society and our data which shows that nearly two thirds of lawyers believe access to justice has worsened over the last decade.
Law Society appoints first-ever digital agency partner
Prolific North reports we have partnered with digital agency Add People, with a view to sharing advice and analysis on digital marketing through exclusive content to our members.
Fiona O’Mahony, head of partnerships and sales from the Law Society said: “This partnership demonstrates an excellent opportunity to expand the knowledge of our members in a field that is an essential part of modern legal practices
“All our work is focused on advocating for and improving our profession and we believe partnering with a full-service digital agency will enhance our offering and help them navigate the ever-shifting landscape of digital marketing.”
Also worth a read:
- Trump declares victory in nail biting US Presidential race – BBC News Live, Guardian Live, Telegraph Live (£)
- Prisons ‘forced to hire staff who struggle to speak English’ – Telegraph (£)
- Foreign criminals could be deported immediately after conviction to free up jail space – Telegraph (£)
- Secret court cases brought against vulnerable people not in public interest, says justice minister – Telegraph (£)
- Boris Johnson ‘fired’ from Channel 4’s US election coverage – Telegraph (£), Independent & Politico
- SRA Compliance Conference: Solicitors’ regulator speaks out after LSB’s independent review of Axiom Ince – Gazette & Legal Futures
- SRA leaders refuse to apologise for Axiom Ince fallout – Legal Futures
- NQ solicitors in the City working 70-hour weeks, survey shows – Times (£)
- Barristers in Northern Ireland doing twice the work for half the pay than two decades ago – Irish Legal News
- NAO says fixing all flats with flammable cladding will take until 2037 – Times (£)
- UK government says it will take dozens of asylum seekers from the Chagos Islands – Telegraph (£)
- Jenrick and Badenoch urged to settle their differences – Guardian