A law society is an association of

lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...

s with a regulatory role that includes the right to supervise the training, qualifications, and conduct of lawyers. Where there is a distinction between

barristers A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

and

solicitors A solicitor is a legal practitioner who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally-defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and ...

, solicitors are regulated by the law societies and barristers by a separate

bar council {{see also, Bar association A bar council ( ga, Comhairle an Bharra) or bar association, in a common law jurisdiction with a legal profession split between solicitors and barristers or advocates, is a professional body that regulates the profess ...

History

Much has changed for law societies in recent years, with governments in Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales, and Scotland creating government sponsored regulators for lawyers (both barristers and solicitors), leaving to law societies the role of advocacy on behalf of their members.

Canada

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, each province and territory has a law society (french: barreau) with statutory responsibility for regulation of the legal profession in the public interest. These law societies are members of the

Federation of Law Societies of Canada The Federation of Law Societies of Canada (french: Fédération des ordres professionnels de juristes du Canada) is the national coordinating body of Canada's 14 law societies. History The Conference of Governing Bodies of the Legal Profession ...

, which seeks to increase coordination between its members and encourage the standardization of members’ rules and procedures. In Canada’s

common law In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omnipresen ...

jurisdictions, lawyers are both

and

. Consequently, there is one law society per province or territory to regulate and represent the interests of legal professionals. In

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, Canada’s only civil law jurisdiction, the legal profession is split between legal

advocates An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...

, governed by the

Bar of Quebec The Bar of Quebec (french: Barreau du Québec) is the regulatory body for the practice of advocates in the Canadian province of Quebec and one of two legal regulatory bodies in the province. It was founded on May 30, 1849, as the Bar of Lower Ca ...

, and civil law notaries, governed by the

Chamber of Notaries of Quebec Chamber or the chamber may refer to: In government and organizations * Chamber of commerce, an organization of business owners to promote commercial interests *Legislative chamber, in politics * Debate chamber, the space or room that houses delib ...

United Kingdom

The 1739/40 Society of Gentleman Practisers in the Courts of Law and Equity has been described as the first law society in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. However its relationship to the modern

Law Society of England and Wales The Law Society of England and Wales (officially The Law Society) is the professional association that represents solicitors for the jurisdiction of England and Wales. It provides services and support to practising and training solicitors, as ...

(founded 1825) is unclear.

United States

In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, unified

bar association A bar association is a professional association of lawyers as generally organized in countries following the Anglo-American types of jurisprudence. The word bar is derived from the old English/European custom of using a physical railing to separ ...

s are somewhat similar to law societies; however, there are differences between law societies and the general American phenomenon of bar associations. Usually a bar association is an association of lawyers; lawyers may or may not join as they wish. Regulation of American lawyers usually takes places through the courts, which decide who gets admitted as a lawyer, and also decide discipline cases. Law societies are often created by legislation and play (or played) significant direct roles in the training, licensing and disciplining of lawyers. The conflict or roles between being a regulator and a trade association is seen by many as giving rise to the recent move to government sponsored regulators. Law societies also play a role as part of the justice system, and concern themselves with access to justice. As a result, they may offer paid and unpaid legal assistance to the public or specific target audiences, and have historically been involved in the development of

legal aid Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to co ...

plans.

List of law societies

Britain and Ireland

(c. 1825) *

Law Society of Scotland The Law Society of Scotland is the professional governing body for Scottish solicitors. It promotes excellence among solicitors through the support and regulation of its members. It also promotes the interests of the public in relation to the ...

(c. 1949) *

Law Society of Ireland The Law Society of Ireland ( ga, Dlí-Chumann na hÉireann) is a professional body established on 24 June 1830 and is the educational, representative and regulatory body of the solicitors' profession in Ireland. As of 2020, the Law Society had ...

(c. 1852) *

Law Society of Northern Ireland The Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland, commonly known as the Law Society of Northern Ireland, is a professional body established by Royal Charter granted on 10 July 1922 and whose powers and duties are to regulate the solicitors' prof ...

(c. 1922) *

Isle of Man Law Society The Isle of Man Law Society is the professional body in respect of the advocates' profession in the Isle of Man. The Society's role is to regulate and to provide a service for its members. The Society is the longest-established professional body ...

(c. 1859) *

Ecclesiastical Law Society The Ecclesiastical Law Society is an organization based in the United Kingdom that "exists to promote the study of ecclesiastical and canon law particularly in the Church of England and those churches in communion with it." All are welcome to joi ...

, Church of England (1987) * Society of Solicitor Advocates, Scotland (1994) *

Cambridge University Law Society The Cambridge University Law Society (also known as "CULS" or "LawSoc") is the educational and representative body of undergraduate law students at the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1901, and with an estimated 2,000 active members, it is ...

(c. 1901)

Australia

Law Societies in Australia represent the interests of solicitors and are organised in each State and mainland territory. Australia has a split profession, and barristers' interests are represented by separately-organised Bar Councils in each State and territory. The

Law Council of Australia The Law Council of Australia, founded in 1933, is an association of law societies and bar associations from the states and territories of Australia, and the peak body representing the legal profession in Australia. The Law Council represents mo ...

is a peak body representing the interests of all legal practitioners at federal level. *

Law Society of New South Wales The Law Society of New South Wales is a professional association which represents over 29,000 solicitors in Australia. The Law Society has statutory powers and regulates the practice of law in New South Wales.http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/law ...

(informally 1842; formally 1884) *

Law Society of Tasmania Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. ...

(informally 1845; formally 1888) *

Law Institute of Victoria Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vari ...

(1859) *

Queensland Law Society The Queensland Law Society is the peak professional body for solicitors in Queensland, Australia. It represents more than 9,000 members, and is affiliated with the Law Council of Australia. The society provides support and public advocacy for ...

(informally 1873; formally 1883) *

Law Society of South Australia Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

(1879) *

Law Society of Western Australia Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

(1927) * ACT Law Society (1933) *

(1933) * Law Society of the Northern Territory (1968)

Canada

Each province and territory in Canada has a law society which governs the legal profession, with the exception of Quebec, which has two. *

Law Society of Alberta The Law Society of Alberta (LSA) is the self-regulating body for lawyers in Alberta, Canada, established in 1907 which derives its authority from the Legal Profession Act of the Government of Alberta. Its main office is located in Calgary. As ...

(1907) *

Law Society of British Columbia The Law Society of British Columbia is the regulatory body for lawyers in British Columbia, Canada. Purpose The society's primary mandate under the ''Legal Profession Act'' is to uphold and protect the public interest in the administration of ...

(1869) *

Law Society of Manitoba The Law Society of Manitoba (LSM) is the self-governing regulatory body of the legal profession in Manitoba, Canada. Membership in the LSM is required in order to practice law in the province. , the LSM had 2072 members with active practising s ...

(1907) *

(1907) * Law Society of New Brunswick (1846) *

Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador The Law Society of Newfoundland Labrador founded in 1834 (as Newfoundland Law Society and current name in 1999) is the statutory body charged with the regulation of the legal profession in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Ref ...

(1834) * Law Society of the Northwest Territories (1978) *

Nova Scotia Barristers' Society The Nova Scotia Barristers' Society is the statutory body charged with the regulation of the legal profession in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The Barristers' Society is a member of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, an associatio ...

(1825) - succeeded Nova Scotia Bar c. 1749 *

Law Society of Nunavut The Law Society of Nunavut ( iu, ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ; Inuinnaqtun: ''Nunavumi Maligaliuqtit''; french: Barreau du Nunavut) is the law society responsible for licensing and self-regulati ...

(1999) *

Law Society of Ontario The Law Society of Ontario (LSO; french: Barreau de l'Ontario) is the law society responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario. Founded in 1797 as the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC; frenc ...

(1797) * Law Society of Prince Edward Island (1876) *

(1849) - succeeding the non-statutory body Community of Lawyers (Communauté des avocats) c. 1765 *

(1870) *

Law Society of Saskatchewan The Law Society of Saskatchewan is the governing body for lawyers in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada. History The Law Society of Saskatchewan was established in 1907, by the ''Legal Professions Act'', following the establishment of the Prov ...

(1907) *

Law Society of Yukon Law Society of Yukon is the regulatory body for lawyers in the Yukon. Founded in 1971 as ''Yukon Bar Association'' following the emergence of reforms that lead to the establishment of elected government and legislative council, it was renamed as ...

(1971) *

India

* The Law Society (Aligarh Muslim University) (1894)

Other countries

Fiji Law Society The Fiji Law Society is the official body that registers and regulates the activity of all lawyers in Fiji. Historically, the President of the Fiji Law Society was a member ''ex officio'' of the Judicial Service Commission. The Fiji Law Society ...

Law Society of Hong Kong The Law Society of Hong Kong is the professional association and law society for solicitors in Hong Kong, established in 1907. The Hong Kong Bar Association is the equivalent association for barristers in Hong Kong. The Law Society is current ...

(c. 1907) *

New Zealand Law Society The New Zealand Law Society ( mi, Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa) is the parent body for barristers and solicitors in New Zealand. It was established in 1869, and regulates all lawyers practising in New Zealand. Membership of the society is voluntary, ...

(c. 1869) *

Law Society of Singapore The Law Society of Singapore is an organisation which represents all lawyers in Singapore. It publishes the ''Law Gazette'' and operates a scheme for needy people to benefit from legal services free-of-charge. The Society also sets out rules for ...

(c. 1967) *

Law Society of Zimbabwe The Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) is the law society responsible for representing and regulating how lawyers and law firms operate in Zimbabwe. It is mandated to observe of the rule of law in the justice system. The Law Society of Zimbabwe was e ...

( c. 1981)

References

{{reflist Legal organizations

History

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

List of law societies

Britain and Ireland

Australia

Canada

India

Other countries

See also

References