The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa has outlined its future membership proposition. This includes working on a representative strategy to provide financially sustainable representative services to its members. The intention is to continue delivering services in an enduring way. The matter will be discussed with the Council in the coming months.
The crux of the issue is providing representative services in a financially sustainable way. Practising certificate fees received by the Law Society can only be spent on regulatory matters. These fees do not cover the representative services provided by the Law Society. There are separate regulatory and representative accounts.
Currently, most Law Society member services are provided at no cost to members. Some revenue is generated through continuing legal education, events, and section fees. The Law Society represents 98% of the profession and provides various representative services, including wellbeing initiatives and specialized interest groups. Members have access to education, networking, information, guidance, support, and advocacy. These services are funded by the Law Society’s representative arm.