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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.

Response to Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme

Response to Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) recently closed its consultation on proposals for price-competitive tendering in the Legal Aid Agency's (LAA) Housing Possession Court Duty Schemes.

Duty scheme contracts are issued on the basis that there is only one for each court - the process therefore has to be competitive - but the LAA's insistence that this has to be price-compteitive is seen by the Law Society as a new departure:

We see considerable problems in price-competitive tendering - the cheapest offering will not necessarily be the best. This could result in a race to the bottom which may impact on professional standards[...] A price war will not improve services and could negatively impact on clients. said Law Society President, Robert Bourns.

The MoJ argue that due to problems of sustainability, price tendering offers an opportunity to tender for contracts at an economically sustainable rate.

In their response to the proposals, the Law Society expressed concern that this could trigger a "race to the bottom" on price.