The Law Society of Jersey Bye-laws 2007
Revised Edition
07.570.30
Showing the law as at 1 January 2008
This is a revised edition of the law
The Law Society of Jersey Bye-laws 2007
Arrangement
Bye-law
Introductory provisions
1 Citation
2 Interpretation
3 Bye-laws and Code of Conduct to be posted on website
Membership
4 Additional classes of members of Society
5 Eligibility for retired membership
6 Eligibility for associate membership
7 Applications for membership
8 Determination of applications
9 Resignation from membership
10 Duty of member who ceases to be a practitioner or is suspended from practice
11 Duty of ordinary member who ceases to practise
12 Suspension of membership for non-payment of charges
13 Suspension or termination of membership in other cases
General meetings of the Law Society
14 Annual general meetings
15 Other general meetings
16 Notice of general meetings
17 Quorum at general meetings
18 Voting at general meetings
19 Casting vote at general meetings
20 Proxies
21 Adjournments
The Committee of The Law Society
22 Committee members
23 Term of office of President
24 Terms of office of Committee members
25 Manner of electing Committee
26 Meetings of Committee
27 Casting vote at Committee meetings
28 Subcommittees
Other provisions
29 Library
30 Subscriptions and levies
31 Accounts
32 Common seal
33 Execution of documents
34 Passing of contracts
35 Minutes
36 Insurance cover and annual certification
37 Annual certificate with respect to client monies
38 Code of Conduct
39 Service of documents
40 Indemnity
41 Patrons
Supporting Documents
Endnotes
Table of Legislation History
Table of Renumbered Provisions
Table of Endnote References
The Law Society of Jersey Bye-laws 2007
THE LAW SOCIETY OF JERSEY, in pursuance of Article 16 of The Law Society of Jersey Law 2005[1], hereby makes the following bye-laws –
Commencement [see endnotes]
Introductory provisions
1 Citation
These bye-laws may be cited as The Law Society of Jersey Bye-Laws 2007.
2 Interpretation
In these bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires –
“amendment” includes a consolidation, reprint or revision;
“the Code of Conduct” means the code of conduct adopted by The Law Society of Jersey on 30th September 2005, including any amendments that have been or are subsequently made by the Society to that code;
“disciplinary body” means the Royal Court, or a disciplinary committee selected in accordance with Article 21 of the Law;
“the Law” means The Law Society of Jersey Law 2005[2].
3 Bye-laws and Code of Conduct to be posted on website
The Secretary of the Law Society shall post the Bye-laws and any amendments that are subsequently made by the Society to these Bye-laws, and the Code of Conduct, on the Law Society’s website.
Membership
4 Additional classes of members of Society
In addition to its ordinary members, the Law Society includes the following classes of members –
(a) retired members; and
(b) associate members.
5 Eligibility for retired membership
A person is eligible to be a retired member if he or she is an advocate or solicitor, but –
(a) has retired from practice;
(b) is not suspended from practice; and
(c) does not hold a Crown office or a judicial office.
6 Eligibility for associate membership
A person is eligible to be an associate member if he or she is an advocate or solicitor, but –
(a) is not in practice; and
(b) is not suspended from practice.
7 Applications for membership
(1) An application for membership shall be made in writing to the Secretary.
(2) The application must state the class of membership for which it is made, and must be accompanied by the annual subscription fee for that class.
(3) The application must also be accompanied by the certificate of the applicant’s admission as an advocate or solicitor.
(4) If the application is for ordinary membership –
(a) where the applicant intends to practise on his or her own account or as an employee of one or more other ordinary members, it must also be accompanied by proof that the applicant is insured against his or her professional liabilities arising from practice, for an amount that is not less than the relevant amount for the time being approved by the Law Society at a general meeting; and
(b) in every case, it must also be accompanied by the applicant’s written undertaking to the Society that he or she will honour any undertaking that the applicant may give, to any other advocate or solicitor, in the course of practice.
(5) In every case, the application must be accompanied by any other information that the Committee of The Law Society may reasonably require to satisfy itself that the applicant is eligible for the class of membership for which it is made.
8 Determination of applications
(1) If the Committee is satisfied that an applicant for ordinary membership is entitled to be such a member, it shall grant his or her application.
(2) If the Committee is satisfied that an applicant for any other class of membership is eligible to be such a member, it may grant his or her application.
(3) However, the Committee may refuse to grant any application while any money is due by the applicant to the Law Society under the Law or under these bye-laws.
9 Resignation from membership
(1) A retired or associate member may resign, by notice in writing delivered to the Secretary.
(2) The period of notice that an ordinary member is to give to the Secretary before his or her resignation has effect must be not less than one month.
(3) Any ordinary member who resigns must send a copy of his or her notice of resignation to the Judicial Greffier.
10 Duty of member who ceases to be a practitioner or is suspended from practice
A member –
(a) who ceases to be an advocate;
(b) who ceases to be a solicitor; or
(c) who is suspended from practice as an advocate or solicitor,
must inform the Secretary in writing immediately.
11 Duty of ordinary member who ceases to practise
An ordinary member who ceases to practise law must inform the Secretary in writing within 14 days and may not recommence practice without first informing the Secretary and satisfying the provisions of Bye-law 7(4) (a).
12 Suspension of membership for non-payment of charges
(1) If a member does not pay within one month of demand money that is due by him or her to the Law Society under the Law or under these bye-laws, the Secretary shall notify the member by letter that the money has not been received by the Society.
(2) If the member does not pay that money within 2 months of demand, the Secretary shall report that fact to the Committee.
(3) After giving the member a reasonable opportunity to be heard, the Committee may then suspend his or her membership until the money is paid.
13 Suspension or termination of membership in other cases
(1) While a retired or associate member is suspended from practice as an advocate or solicitor, his or her membership of the Law Society is automatically suspended by operation of this paragraph.
(2) If a member of any class (other than an ordinary member) ceases to be qualified for membership of that class, he or she ceases to be such a member.
General meetings of the Law Society
14 Annual general meetings
(1) The annual general meeting of the Law Society shall be held on a date to be appointed by the Committee (not being before 1st March or after 30th September).
(2) At the annual general meeting, the Law Society must transact the following business –
(a) the receipt and consideration of the annual report of the President;
(b) the receipt and consideration of the Society’s accounts for the preceding year;
(c) the election of the President and the other Committee members; and
(d) the appointment of such ordinary members as is necessary to fill any vacancies on the disciplinary panel.
(3) The Law Society may also transact any other business (except a proposal for the winding up of the Society) at an annual general meeting.
15 Other general meetings
(1) The President may at any time convene a general meeting that is not an annual general meeting.
(2) The Committee must convene a general meeting if it is required to do so by not fewer than 10 ordinary members, by their delivering notice in writing of that requirement to the Secretary.
(3) At a general meeting that is convened specially for the purpose of considering amendments to these bye-laws or the winding up of the Law Society, no other business may be transacted.
16 Notice of general meetings
(1) The Secretary shall give not less than 14 clear days’ notice of a general meeting to the members of the Law Society.
(2) The notice shall include the following information –
(a) the date and time of the meeting;
(b) the place at which it will be held;
(c) the agenda for the meeting, which must describe the general nature of each item of business that it is proposed to transact; and
(d) in the case of an annual general meeting, copies of –
(i) the annual report of the President, and
(ii) the Law Society’s accounts for the preceding year.
(3) An accidental omission to give notice to a member does not invalidate anything done at the meeting.
17 Quorum at general meetings
(1) At a general meeting –
(a) the ordinary members who are present personally are a quorum if they are not fewer in number than 10 per cent of the ordinary members;
(b) if the President is present, he or she shall preside; and
(c) in the absence of the President, the ordinary members who are present personally shall elect one of their number to preside.
(2) If the quorum is not constituted within 30 minutes after the time appointed for the meeting, it shall stand adjourned to a date, time and place to be determined by the person presiding.
(3) The person presiding shall appoint a date and time that is not more than 21 days after the adjournment, and shall inform the Secretary in sufficient time to enable the latter to comply with paragraph (4).
(4) The Secretary shall give not less than 7 clear days notice to members of the date, time and place to which the meeting is adjourned.
(5) If the quorum specified in paragraph (1)(a) is not present on the resumption of the adjourned meeting, 3 ordinary members present personally are then a quorum.
18 Voting at general meetings
(1) At a general meeting a retired or associate member may speak on any motion, but he or she may not vote.
(2) Each question is to be decided on a show of hands of the ordinary members present personally, unless –
(a) these bye-laws provide that it is to be decided by a ballot; or
(b) the person presiding, or not fewer than 10 of the ordinary members present personally, require a ballot.
(3) On a vote on a show of hands, unless a ballot is promptly demanded by an ordinary member who is present personally, a declaration by the person presiding –
(a) that the result has been carried, or has been carried by a specified majority; or
(b) that the result has not been carried, or has not been carried by a specified majority,
is conclusive evidence of that fact, and any entry to that effect by the Secretary in the minute book is also conclusive evidence of that fact.
(4) If, on a vote on a show of hands, a ballot is required or demanded –
(a) it is to be held in such manner and at such date, time and place as the person presiding shall direct;
(b) for that purpose, the person presiding may adjourn the meeting for any period not exceeding 7 days; and
(c) on the resumption of the meeting the result of the ballot, as declared by the person then presiding, constitutes a resolution of the meeting at which the ballot was demanded.
19 Casting vote at general meetings
(1) In the event of an equality of votes on a question arising at a general meeting, the person presiding has a casting vote.
(2) This bye-law is subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) of bye-law 25 (which relate to the election of Committee members).
20 Proxies
(1) An ordinary member may in accordance with this bye-law appoint another ordinary member as his or her proxy –
(a) to attend a general meeting; and
(b) to vote on any question that is being decided by a ballot.
(2) A proxy must be appointed in writing under the hand of the member making the appointment.
(3) An instrument of proxy is to be in the following form, or in such other form as the Committee may approve –
“The Law Society of Jersey.
I, [ ] of [ ], being an ordinary member of The Law Society of Jersey, appoint [ ] of [ ] (or, failing that person, [ ] of ]) as my proxy to vote for me on my behalf at a meeting of the Society to be held on [ ] and at any adjournment of that meeting.
Signed
Date [ ]”.
(4) An appointment of a proxy is not valid unless the instrument of appointment is lodged with the Secretary before the time appointed for the holding of the general meeting, or the adjourned general meeting, at which the proxy exercises the proxy vote.
(5) An appointment of a proxy is not valid if, in the event, the member making the appointment attends and votes in person.
21 Adjournments
With the consent of the majority of the ordinary members present personally, the person presiding at a general meeting or an adjourned general meeting may adjourn it to any subsequent date, time or place.
The Committee of The Law Society
22 Committee members
In addition to the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Librarian, the Committee consists of –
(a) the Bâtonnier;
(b) the President of the Chambre des Écrivains; and
(c) 4 ordinary members of the Law Society.
23 Term of office of President
(1) The President holds office until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting following the general meeting at which he or she is elected.
(2) A person is not eligible to be re-elected as President on more than 3 occasions consecutively.
(3) On vacating the office, he or she is not eligible for 3 years for re-election to it.
24 Terms of office of Committee members
A Committee member, other than the President, holds office until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting following the general meeting at which he or she is elected.
25 Manner of electing Committee
(1) A candidate for election as a Committee member must be proposed by an ordinary member and seconded by at least one other ordinary member.
(2) A vote on the election of a Committee member must be by ballot.
(3) An ordinary member is entitled to vote for as many candidates as there are vacancies to be filled.
(4) If each of the candidates in a ballot receives the same number of votes for a vacancy, the result is to be decided between them by lot.
(5) If, on any ballot –
(a) 2 or more candidates receive the most votes for a vacancy; and
(b) there is any other candidate who receives fewer votes,
another ballot is to be held between the candidates who receive the most votes.
26 Meetings of Committee
(1) The Committee shall meet regularly, not fewer than 4 times each year, to deal with the affairs of the Law Society.
(2) At a meeting of the Committee –
(a) the Committee members who are present personally are a quorum if they are a majority of the members for the time being of the Committee;
(b) if the President is present, he or she shall preside; and
(c) in the absence of the President, the Committee members who are present personally shall elect one of their number to preside.
27 Casting vote at Committee meetings
In the event of an equality of votes on a question arising at a meeting of the Committee, the person presiding has a casting vote.
28 Subcommittees
(1) The Committee may appoint subcommittees consisting of 2 or more members of the Law Society.
(2) The Committee may delegate in writing to a subcommittee any of its functions or powers.
(3) A delegation under this bye-law does not prevent the Committee itself from exercising a function or power so delegated.
(4) A delegation under this bye-law is revocable at will.
(5) In the exercise of its functions and powers, a subcommittee –
(a) must comply with any directions given to it by the Committee; and
(b) must report regularly to the Committee.
Other provisions
29 Library
(1) The Librarian has the care of any library belonging to or in the care of the Law Society from time to time.
(2) The Librarian shall keep a catalogue of the works in the library.
30 Subscriptions and levies
(1) The Law Society shall in general meeting set annual subscriptions to be paid to the Society by members.
(2) In doing so, it may set different subscriptions for different classes of membership.
(3) If the Law Society considers it necessary or expedient to do so, it may in general meeting set a levy to be paid to the Society by all ordinary members in equal shares.
(4) Annual subscriptions and levies set under this Article are due on demand.
31 Accounts
The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of the Law Society.
32 Common seal
(1) The Law Society shall have a common seal.
(2) The common seal shall be a seal that is for the time being adopted for that purpose by the Committee.
(3) The Committee has custody of the common seal.
33 Execution of documents
Two Committee members who are authorized by the Committee to do so may execute a document in the name of the Law Society by –
(a) causing the common seal to be affixed to the document; and
(b) affixing their signatures to the document below the seal.
34 Passing of contracts
A Committee member who is authorized by the Committee to do so may appear in its name in any court for the purposes of the passing of a contract made by the Law Society.
35 Minutes
(1) The Secretary shall keep a minute book in which he or she shall cause to be recorded –
(a) the proceedings of the Committee; and
(b) the proceedings of the Law Society at general meetings.
(2) A subcommittee of the Committee must keep minutes of its proceedings, and deliver copies of its minutes to the Secretary.
36 Insurance cover and annual certification
(1) The Law Society shall at a general meeting set the minimum amount for which ordinary members shall maintain insurance cover against their professional liabilities arising from practice.
(2) An ordinary member in practice on his own account or any two or more ordinary members in practice in partnership as a firm shall maintain professional indemnity insurance against professional liabilities arising from practice with a level of cover no less than that determined by the Society in general meeting from time to time.
(3) An ordinary member in practice on his own account or any two or more ordinary members in practice in partnership as a firm shall notify the Committee as to the date upon which their professional indemnity insurance is renewed in each year. Any change to such date of renewal is to be notified to the Committee. The suspension or cancellation or revocation for any cause of such professional indemnity insurance shall be notified to the Committee immediately following notice of that fact coming to the attention of an ordinary member having the benefit of such insurance.
(4) An ordinary member in practice on his own account or any two or more ordinary members in practice in partnership as a firm shall within thirty days of the date upon which their professional indemnity insurance is renewed in each year produce to the Committee evidence in writing satisfactory to the Committee confirming that such ordinary member (and all ordinary members employed by him) or all ordinary members practising law in partnership as a firm (and all ordinary members employed by them) (including in all cases all ordinary members who shall join the ordinary member or the firm in whatever capacity prior to the next renewal of the policy) as the case may be are covered by a policy of professional indemnity insurance in no lesser amount than that provided in this Bye-law 36.
(5) Prior to an ordinary member commencing practice on his own account or any two or more ordinary members commencing practice in partnership as a firm produce to the Committee evidence in writing satisfactory to the Committee confirming that such ordinary member (and all ordinary members employed by him) or all ordinary members practising law in partnership as a firm (and all ordinary members employed by them) (including in all cases all ordinary members who shall join the ordinary member or the firm in whatever capacity prior to the next renewal of the policy) as the case may be are covered by a policy of professional indemnity insurance in no lesser amount than that provided in this Bye-law 36.
(6) It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep and maintain a file for all such notifications received by the Committee.
(7) If any ordinary member fails to supply such notification in compliance with this Bye-law 36 as shall be required by this Bye-law 36 the Secretary shall report the failure to the President who shall refer the matter to the Committee for appropriate action.
37 Annual certificate with respect to client monies
(1) An ordinary member shall procure that any firm in which he is either the principal or a partner with other ordinary members shall within six months of the close of the annual accounting period of such firm or on its cesser of trading deliver to the Secretary a certificate addressed to such firm issued by a member of the Jersey Association of Practising Chartered and Certified Accountants not being an employee of that firm stating that such ordinary member or all such ordinary members (as the case may be) have complied with the provisions of the Code of Conduct in respect of the treatment of client monies (other than minor non-loss causing errors).
(2) It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep and maintain a file for all such Annual Certificates.
(3) If any such firm fails to supply a Certificate in compliance herewith the Secretary shall report the failure to the President who shall refer the matter to the Committee for appropriate action.
(4) Each firm shall supply the Secretary with the name of its accountant and shall notify the Secretary of all changes in accountant or in the date of the end of its financial year.
38 Code of Conduct
(1) An ordinary member must observe the Code of Conduct in the conduct of his or her professional practice.
(2) A breach of the Code is professional misconduct.
39 Service of documents
(1) A member must give to the Secretary the address at which the member practises as an advocate or solicitor or (if he or she is not in practice) an address at which documents may be served on or sent to the member under the Law or under these bye-laws.
(2) A member who is required under paragraph (1) to supply an address to the Secretary is not entitled to receive any notice or other document under the Law or under these bye-laws, unless he or she has complied with that paragraph.
(3) If any notice or other document is to be served on or delivered or given to any member under the Law or under these bye-laws, it shall be sufficient for the Secretary to prove that it was addressed to the member at the address given by him or her under paragraph (1), duly stamped and posted to the member.
(4) In that event, it shall be presumed conclusively that the member received the notice or documents 2 days after it was so posted.
(4) Paragraph (3) does not prevent personal service or service by e-mail.
40 Indemnity
(1) All offices in the Law Society are honorary.
(2) However a Committee member, member of a subcommittee or ordinary member serving as a member of the disciplinary panel constituted in accordance with Article 18 of the Law is to be indemnified by the Law Society against all costs, expenses and losses for which he or she may become liable by reason of any act or thing done by that member in the proper discharge of his or her office or duties.
(3) The Committee may maintain such policies of insurance as may be requisite for the purposes of supporting the indemnity to the members of the Committee, members of a subcommittee or an ordinary member serving as a member of the disciplinary panel in the proper discharge of his or her office or duties
(4) In this bye-law, “office” includes any membership of the Committee, or of a subcommittee or disciplinary panel.
41 Patrons
The Law Society may invite persons to be its patrons.
Endnotes
Table of Legislation History
Legislation
Year and No
Commencement
The Law Society of Jersey Bye-laws 2007
R&O.45/2007
22 March 2007
Table of Renumbered Provisions
Original
Current
1(1)
1
1(2)
Spent, omitted
Table of Endnote References
[1]
Chapter 07.570
[2]
chapter 07.570
