Membership

» Introduction: Why join Birmingham Law Society?
» Membership categories and rates
» How to join
» Contact information
» View current membership list
» Intervention into Wolstenholmes Solicitors
» Birmingham Law Society Annual Report
» Birmingham Law Society Articles of Association

Introduction: Why join Birmingham Law Society?

Many of our members already know about some of the Birmingham Law Society’s (“BLS”) significant developments over the last year and some are even aware of our plans going forward, but how much do you know about BLS’ bright new future?

The legal landscape is rapidly changing and the legal community face greater challenges today (and tomorrow) than perhaps has ever faced them before. The question that law firms need to ask themselves is do they want to face these challenges alone or would they prefer to be part of a collective group who will:

Provide representation on the issues important to the legal community;
Engage on consultation papers which are relevant to members;
Refer work to members from new enquiries from members of the public;
Provide members with proactive advice on regulation and compliance issues;
Offer support to members on practice issues;
Engage in debate re: the impact of the Legal Services Act;
Provide members with a comprehensive network of colleagues;
Arrange networking opportunities for members with other professional groups;
Organise joint events which involve West Midlands business community;
Provide members with access to one of the country’s greatest professional legal resources ;
Provide relevant training which is based upon its members’ demands;
Promote Birmingham as a centre of legal excellence;
Work with other organisations with a view to bringing more legal work to Birmingham.

BLS is the largest regional Law Society in England & Wales with over 3,000 members. However, being the largest or even the best is simply not enough; we want to ensure that members see BLS as being an essential part of the West Midlands legal community.
The team at BLS is ambitious and we want to become a hub of legal information, know how, support and representation for all of our members. We are on our way and listed below are some of the more visible things which we are doing for you.

Representation

Quite apart from dealing with consultation papers, BLS liaises with other organisations to ensure that the Birmingham legal community has a collective voice on important issues.

Some of these other organisations we actively liaise with include local judiciary, the Law Society, other regional law societies, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Legal Services Commission, West Midlands Police, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham Forward, Professional Institutes Network West Midlands and local court user groups.

BLS has been active, with others, in pressing for an Administration Court in Birmingham.

International

BLS is active on behalf of members in identifying opportunities for member firms to attract and engage in work with overseas jurisdictions. In November this year, a team of members visited Delhi to promote “best friend” relationships with Indian lawyers, to attract referrals to Birmingham member firms and to lobby directly to the head of the Indian Bar Council on liberalisation of the Indian legal market. It is easier to gain access to key influencers through an organisation such as BLS rather than as an individual firm.

A trade mission to Shanghai and Hong Kong is planned for February 2009 and work is ongoing with our closer European neighbours.

Key Annual Events and Networking

The President’s Dinner, in its amended format, and the eighth Legal Awards Dinner in 2009 are prominent events to recognise and celebrate success and achievement in the legal community in Birmingham and the surrounding area.

Informal networking events, at differing locations throughout the year, are now a regular part of the Society’s annual programme, involving members of the Birmingham Trainee Solicitors Society and the Junior Lawyers Division in addition to the membership and their contacts.

Click here to view events and networking information.

Consultation Papers

BLS has specialist committees of lawyers which cover most legal practice areas. The specialist committees regularly meet and where possible they will engage on consultation papers relevant to their practice area. In addition to this, BLS has recently set up a specialist committee, which will focus exclusively on consultation papers and liaise with and oversee the other specialist committees who are dealing with consultation papers.

Over the last 12 months BLS has responded to most of the consultation papers issued, and certainly all those on key issues for the future.

Recent consultation responses from Birmingham Law Society, please click here.

Law Library

The law library has been part of BLS since its inception in 1818 but membership demand for this service has dropped considerably over recent years. The main reason for this has been the advance of IT legal support services. BLS diverted considerable funds to the maintenance of the library each year and following a review of the service usage it was decided that something had to be done.

The easy option would have been to simply close down the library and auction off the books. However, BLS found a more imaginative solution whereby it transferred its library to Aston University thereby ensuring that a law library, as well as the rest of the impressive facilities at Aston’s library, was still available to those members requiring it, yet the huge maintenance costs could be avoided and put to more “relevant” use.

Learning & Development

BLS is committed to developing its training program for 2009 by ensuring that the courses provided are the ones most needed by the members. There is a commitment to ensuring the quality of the courses is of the highest standard and members will continue to enjoy the reduced rates and special offers which are put on throughout the year.

There are also plans to put on a few high profile conferences within Birmingham, which will include well-known and respected individuals as speakers.

Click here to view Learning and Development information.

Working with young lawyers

BLS has worked hard to establish stronger links with, for example, the Birmingham Trainee Solicitors Society and the newly formed Junior Lawyers Division to ensure continuity of representation and relevance of your Society to young people coming into the profession.

We recently held a newly qualified event to celebrate the success of those individuals who recently qualified as solicitors in the West Midlands. The newly qualifieds were provided with a certificate “admitting” them as a solicitor of Birmingham and the event attracted over 200 attendees including the Lord Mayor for Birmingham and representation from the local judiciary.

Following this success and noting the appreciation of those attending this will now be an annual event in the Society’s calendar.
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Membership categories and rates

In 2009, subscriptions remain at the same rates and on the same bases as in the previous two years, notwithstanding the recent approval at an EGM of an extension to member categories, as previously announced. The intention during 2009 is to review the bases of subscriptions applicable to 2010 and beyond fully to take account of these new member categories, and to ensure that subscriptions reflect the Society’s new priorities and improved capabilities that will exist by that time.

In the meantime affiliate membership of the Society will be extended, without charge, to staff falling within the extended membership categories in those firms who renew corporate membership of BLS.

MEMBERSHIP/SUBSCRIPTION RATES
1 January 2009 – 31 December 2009

CORPORATE RATE (which gives access to the library at Aston University)
All partners must be paid for. Any other employed solicitors, legal executives, paralegals and trainees are able to take advantage of the benefits of membership at no additional charge.
Other admitted solicitors employed by the practice are encouraged to apply for membership, although this is not essential.

Birmingham Solicitors (City Centre & Birmingham suburbs)
£190 per partner

Country
£103 per partner

Sole Practitioner (CITY & COUNTRY)
£190 per sole practitioner

COMMERCIAL RATE (which gives access to the library at Aston University)
Solicitors in commercial and local authority positions, i.e. not employed in a private legal practice
£144 per individual

INDIVIDUAL RATE (non-library user)
For solicitors whose firm is not a member under the corporate rate
£97 per individual – no access to the Library, although advantage may be taken of other benefits of membership

RETIRED RATE (non-library user)
£23.50 + VAT per individual

AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP (with no voting rights)

Legal Executive Rate (non-library user)
For those whose firm is not a member under the corporate rate
£97 per individual

Foreign Lawyer Rate (non-library user)
For those not regulated by the SRA
£97 per individual

Trainee Solicitor And Student Rate (non-library user)
For those whose firm is not a member under the corporate rate
£25.00 per individual

BARRISTER RATE (which gives access to the library at Aston University)
£97+VAT per barrister

N.B. For new subscriptions taken after 1 February, the membership rates will be taken on a pro-rata basis. This does not apply to any individual or firm that has declined to renew their subscription within the last two years.
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How to join

Please fill in one of the below application forms (Corporate Membership, Individual/Commercial Membership or Affiliate Membership) and send it to Birmingham Law Society. You may do this by post or by e-mail (see contact details below).

» Corporate City/Corporate Country/Sole Practitioner membership application form
» Individual/Commercial/Retired membership application form

» Affiliate membership application form

Once we have received your application, we will send you a letter of acknowledgement. Your application will be put before Council at the next available meeting and entry to membership formally confirmed to you immediately thereafter.
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