The Long History of the Solicitor

The solicitors’ profession has a long history, going back to the 12^th century, when the language of the court was Norman French. All _______ therefore needed a representative to act on their behalf and that person was known as an ‘attorney’ from the mediaeval French word “atourner’ (meaning “to direct to”). In the courts of equity a ______ _______ needed a ‘solicitor’ to act on his behalf. This word derived from the Latin ‘sollicitare’ (to harass). Attorneys and solicitors were the forerunners of today’s solicitors.*

The attorney or solicitor was the general _______ _______. He would deal with legal matters on behalf of his client such as the drawing up of wills, trust instruments, _______ _______, and conveyances of land. It was generally only when a matter proceeded to court that the client had need of both a solicitor and a barrister: the solicitor to enter an appearance in the Court and deal with the preliminary stages and the barrister to plead the case and appear at the eventual ______ of it.

The profession of a solicitor was largely unregulated until the beginning of the 19^th century when the Law Society was founded. It was granted a Royal Charter in 1845 which empowered it to enforce national standards of conduct and education. About the same time the term attorney was dropped in favour of the title “solicitors”. The duties of the _______ __ _______ have been extended by various Acts of Parliament since then. It serves the public by working to improve access to the law. It provides services and support for solicitors and sets the standards that underpin the profession’s reputation as the best independent professional advisers. The Law Society acts both as the professional body regulating solicitors and also as their _______ _______.

TASK 7. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the origin of the solicitor’s role?
2. Why did litigants in mediaeval times need a representative in court?
3. What is the role of solicitors nowadays?
4. What are the main functions of the Law Society?

TASK 8. Render the following text into English:

The Law Society

Юридическое общество – это руководящий и контролирующий орган профессионального сообщества солиситоров. Оно было учреждено Королевской хартией в 1845. Членство в Юридическом обществе сугубо добровольное. В него входит примерно 85% всех солиситоров. В соответствии с законодательством Юридическое общество наделено довольно значительными правами в осуществлении контроля над деятельностью солиситоров. Так, оно регистрирует каждого солиситора, сдавшего квалификационный экзамен, и ведет реестр, куда заносятся персональные данные солиситоров. Кроме того, Юридическое общество отвечает за страхование солиситоров на случай причинения вреда клиентам. Оно проводит проверки деятельности солиситоров, принимает решения по вопросам ведения ими бухгалтерской отчетности и по доходам, а также устанавливает дисциплинарные и профессиональные требования к солиситорам.