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Come Join Us!

Come Join Us!

Membership of Tees Valley Law Society offers opportunities whether you are a qualified solicitor or other legal professional, or you are in the early stages of training.

Members are offered discounted rates for all of our training events, which are held locally and at the end of the working day to ensure the least disruption to you, your firm and your clients. We hold regular networking and social events where members can come together informally to discuss issues within the profession, but more importantly to share ideas.

Membership of TVLS is about offering support whether formally through involvement of the Council or more informally by sharing ideas about best practice with other firms. By becoming a member of TVLS there are opportunities to become involved in the running of the Society, whether through membership of Council or Committees or in a more informal role.

The application process is quick and simple and membership is great value. Join us today.

It's Not Just Peanuts

It's Not Just Peanuts

Throughout the country, money sits unclaimed and dormant in solicitors' client accounts. Sums range from a few pence to thousands of pounds.

The Access to Justice Foundation (ATJF) is encouraging firms to donate these accounts to help fund vital legal advice services in the local community. Independently, the sums of unclaimed client accounts can seem trivial, but collectively they can make a significant difference to the most vulnerable and most disadvantaged members of society.

These unclaimed balances place a huge administrative burden on firms as all such accounts must be reported to the firm’s auditors on an annual basis. However, these balances can be donated to charity (without SRA approval for amounts under £500), provided that reasonable attempts have been made to contact the original owner. For any firms wishing to donate amounts over £500, the ATJF provides lots of useful guidance and written indemnities as approved and required by the SRA.

All of the money the Foundation raises goes towards helping those in need of legal help but unable to afford it through grants to local advice services including Law Centres and Citizens Advice Bureaux. Without funding and support from the Access to Justice Foundation, many of these vital services would either be unable to continue their valuable work or would have to limit their services. By supporting the “It’s Not Just Peanuts” campaign, and donating unclaimed client balances to the Foundation, law firms can ensure inactive money is used to support vulnerable people in their region.

The ATJF have already raised a fantastic amount of money with help and support from firms and donors across the country, but there are still so many legal organisations that need support. If your firm has unclaimed account balances and would like to donate them, you can find more information on the ATJF's website.

If you would like to help spread the word about the It's Not Just Peanuts campaign then there are two campaign flyers available; an A5-sized one is here, and an A6-size here.