How the Society is Administered
Administration in Short
The plenary body of the SLS is the Council which is composed of one representative from each qualifying law school. The Council controls the affairs of the Society. The management of the Society's affairs vests in the Executive Committee which also has the power to direct or approve expenditure of the Society's funds. The Executive is accountable to the Council for its decisions. The officers of the Society include a President, a Vice-President, an Honorary Treasurer, an Honorary Secretary, a Secretary of the Subject Sections, a Convenor for Scotland and a Convenor for Ireland.
The Officers of the Society
Any Ordinary Member of the Society who is interested in becoming an Officer is invited to contact the Hon Secretary.
The President
The SLS elects its President two years in advance. So at the AGM in September 2008 the Society will be electing a Vice-President elect for the 2008/09 year, who will in turn be the Vice-President for the 2009/2010 year, the President for the 2010/11 year and the immediate past President for the 2011/2012 year. The elected person will be a member of the Society's Executive for the four year period 2008/2012. After appropriate consultations the Society's Officers put forward a nomination to the AGM. To assist members considering the post, the following sets out the broad nature of its duties:
- Organising the Annual Conference in their year of office as President. The Conference will normally be held at the University at which the President is employed at that time. That University must be able to provide space for the academic sessions but not necessarily residential facilities as hotels can be booked for that purpose. The SLS provides web site support and a £10,000 subsidy (if required) but does not have the resources to provide general administrative support for the Conference. The Subject Sections Secretary plays the key role in co-ordinating the work of the subject convenors and their Conference streams. Note that the Conference follows the President so if the President moves institutions after having been elected, so too does the Conference.
- Acting as judge for the Birks Prize and the Annual Conference Best Paper Prize.
- Organising the plenary sessions for the Conference. Invitations to keynote speakers often need to be issued at least a year in advance.
- If at all possible, attending the Annual Conference the previous year. It is the tradition for the Vice President to introduce the President at the annual dinner. Attending the previous Conference should help planning the President's Conference.
- During the year of office, chairing three meetings of the SLS Executive; two meetings of the SLS Council, participating in theForum meeting of SLS, SLSA, ALT, CHULS and the Centre for Legal Education. Representing SLS at meetings with the Law Commission, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Bar Standards Board and Ministry of Justice. If possible, attending the SLS Academic Purposes Fund meeting, the SLS Seminar Series, the ALT Annual Lecture (Autumn) and Conference (spring) and the CHULS meetings (Autumn and Spring).
- Hosting the British Academy reception in February/March and hosting any regional reception held during the year.
- Undertaking a range of PR functions from sending SLS Christmas Cards to writing congratulatory etc letters on behalf of the SLS.
Vice-President and Vice-President Elect
The main responsibility of these officers is to begin and continue work in preparing for their Annual Conference. They are members of the Executive and Council and the Nominations Committee. The Vice-President is one of the judges for the Birks Prize.
Hon Treasurer
The Hon Treasurer is assisted by four people.The Hon Treasurer's main tasks are:
- Receiving and processing applications for membership (monthly activity, largely September to May)
- Reporting new members, deaths and resignations to Council and the AGM
- Maintaining the database, which records membership and payment details
- Dealing with routine expenditure matters
- Reporting on the Society's current account and membership figures to the Executive, Council and the AGM
- Formulating, recommending and implementing policy for the Society's financial stability
- Filing the Society's Annual Return to the Charity Commission
- Commissioning the annual audit of the Society's accounts
- Liaising with the Society's Trustees, in particular their Annual Report for the Charity Commission
- Preparing and overseeing the collection of updated information for and the publication of the Directory.
Hon Secretary
The main responsibility of the Hon Secretary, supported by the Administrative Secretary, Sally Thomson, is to ensure the proper conduct of the Society's business. Duties include:
- Overseeing the development of the Society's activities
- Overseeing the production of papers for meetings of the Council and Executive, including preparation of reports from Executive to Council
- Organising, and representing the Society at, meetings with a range of other bodies
- Preparing or organising the preparation of responses to Consultation Documents
- Overseeing arrangements for succession planning for Officers
- Member of Executive and Council and the Nominations Committee and chair of the Research Sub-Committee
- Dealing with the nomination of emeritus and honorary members
- Attendance where possible at the Annual Conference
Subject Sections Secretary
The Subject Sections Secretary oversees the work of the Subject Sections. Duties include:
- Convening an annual meeting of Subject Section Convenors to plan arrangements for the next Annual Conference
- Liaising with Convenors
- Reporting annually to Council on Section activities
- Representing Subject Section Convenors at the annual meeting of the Law Subject Associations with the Law Commission
- Acting as a judge for the Annual Conference Best Paper Prize