The Law Society is hoping to set up regional meetings to seek the views of its members on separate representation.
Any members wanting to attend a meeting should email panel.events@lawsociety.org.uk indicating the nearest town or city to participate in a meeting, to help the Society arrange locations and dates for the meetings.
The call for views comes as the society warns against the introduction of separate representation.
The Law Society has warned that pressing for separate representation could reduce the solicitors’ profession’s market share and hand residential conveyancing to other sectors on a plate.
Law Society chief executive Derek Hudson said: “In the old days, separate representation looked like the most appealing option, but in the new legal services market it would be detrimental and not provide the answer for our members.”
Mr Hudson explained that if the Solicitors Regulation Authority made it compulsory it would not apply to non-solicitors.
This could mean that lenders wanting to avoid separate representation route would take their business to over sectors.
Mr Hudson added: “Even if licensed conveyancers and their regulator opted for the separate representation route, there would still be a threat from others who might look at conveyancing in the future, who are neither regulated by the SRA nor the licensed conveyancer equivalent.
“This is the reality of the Legal Services Act. It has created competition and we, the Society, are looking at how to meet that challenge, not make it harder for our members.”
The Law Society warns that separate representation could lead to increased costs for consumers as well as a slower process.
