I always start my reports by looking at the previous one to see where we were. Reading the previous report, as far as I can see we were living in a parallel universe talking confidently about our conference in Malaga in June 2020, which would now have taken place more than a month ago.

Curiously the one item in the previous report, that was prescient to the present situation was the prospect that the Annual General Meeting would have been dealt with by some form of Skype connection for those who wanted to be involved from the UK and had not been able to go to Malaga. I was a bit worried about how this would work, but I am sure there is not one of us now who has not been involved in a Skype or Zoom or Microsoft Teams Meeting.

Read moreHonorary Secretary’s report Summer 2020

A REPORT FROM LAW SOCIETY COUNCIL MEMBER LUBNA SHUJA

The last few months, during which we have had to adapt to different ways of working during the Covid-19 pandemic, have been incredibly challenging and difficult for many members of our profession. I am pleased to be able to report that, although the Law Society moved entirely to remote working, as did most organisations, it was still business as usual with a plethora of support provided to members to help them through these unchartered times.

The Law Society Council met remotely on 3 June 2020 and again on 15 July 2020. The Law Society Board and the various Law Society Committees have also continued to meet remotely so work has continued apace despite the lockdown. The Law Society AGM has been deferred to 15 October 2020 when it is hoped (perhaps optimistically) that Council members may be able to meet in person again. I set out below details of the main issues discussed at the Council meetings and the key decisions made. You will be able to find a copy of the CEO’s reports, which contain more detailed information, on our website at www.spg.uk.com.

Read moreCouncil Member‘s Report

We live in challenging times.

I write this as we hope to come out of lockdown gradually in July, but with the possibility of a second wave of the pandemic COVID – 19 affecting us all later in the year.

So, this is the new normal – not just a short interruption to business as usual. Many will never return to working full-time from an office, court procedures are being revolutionised online daily, and cash flow with or without government support is an ongoing tension for many.

So how can we help you, our members, get through this?

We have a four way approach:

1.         Information

2.         Lobbying

3.         Referral

4.         Media response

Read moreFrom the Chairwoman

The Witnessing of Wills during COVID-19 became very difficult with practitioners using all methods to keep the demand of social distancing and seeing that the testator was signing the Will in their presence.

It was done in car parks, over the fence, outside the windows of the testator and many other ways to comply with the Wills Act 1837. There was an increased demand during the lockdown for Wills to be prepared and signed. Testators were getting very nervous as they wanted their Wills drawn up and it was difficult for those who could not get out of their homes.

Read moreWitnessing Wills remotely

Inspection of a Company’s members’ register for a proper purpose time is of the essence

› The Problem

In order to determine who the members of a company registered in England and Wales are it is possible to do so by inspecting the company register. Indeed this is likely to be the only reliable and accepted source of information and can be of considerable importance.

I have advised clients on a number of occasions to seek inspection of a company’s register in cases where membership of a company has been an issue and potentially disputed and carried out such inspections. This is essential to establish who the company’s registered shareholders are.

Read moreInspection of a Company’s members’ register

Jennifer Houlihan

Anika Holm

Read moreBiographies