Practising Certificate Fee Consultation
From guidance on adopting new technology to championing better regulation and promoting access to justice – we’re in you corner on the issues that matter. We want to hear your views on our priorities for the year ahead, so we can deliver the support, resources, and guidance to help you thrive.
Please take part in our consultation by Friday 15 May and encourage your members to share their views. Take 10 minutes to have your say and make sure we continue to champion solicitors on the issues that matter most. You’ll also have the chance to win one of five £150 John Lewis vouchers.
Further information:
- Visit our website for more information
- View our 2025-2028 corporate strategy
- Find out more about the PC fee and how the Law Society is funded
New feature: HMRC tax adviser registration
The Finance Act has passed, with implications for a range of practice areas including conveyancing, private client and tax. If your firm contacts HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) about a client’s tax matters and you’re paid for that work, HMRC will require you to register for an agent services account. Only limited exemptions apply, so you will most likely need to register if you:
- File Stamp Duty Land Tax returns
- Submit inheritance tax forms
- Deal with tax elements in family or private client matters
- Use HMRC systems on a client’s behalf for any tax-related process
With registration now going ahead, we’re pushing for HMRC to clarify the new rules and ensure they are workable. We are particularly concerned HMRC isn’t doing enough to inform our members about what they need to do to prepare.
HMRC has published some general guidance, including the list of exemptions, and further guidance is promised before 18 May 2026.
- Law Society information
- Get our view on tax adviser registration from our policy adviser, Charlotte Garvey
- HMRC guidance
NEW: Buying New Technology Guide
We have published our new Buying New Technology Guide, designed to support solicitors and firms to make safer, more informed decisions when procuring technology, including AI.
The guide was developed in response to sustained feedback from members, particularly sole practitioners, small firms and smaller in‑house teams, who told us that buying new technology can feel complex, time‑pressured and high‑risk without dedicated procurement or IT support. It was created through close collaboration between our policy and content teams, with extensive input from members both from our committees and those volunteering through Get Involved.
The guide provides a practical, step‑by‑step framework covering the full procurement journey. From identifying business needs and selecting suppliers, through to contracting, implementation and evaluation, alongside common pitfalls to avoid and downloadable templates to support good practice.
You can view and share the guide here.
Mark Evans to run the London Marathon to raise money for LawCare
Our President, Mark Evans, is raising funds and awareness for mental health in the legal sector at the TCS London Marathon this month (Sunday 26 April). Mark has made mental health and wellbeing a central focus of his presidency, encouraging open conversations across the legal sector and championing changes to create healthier, more supportive workplaces.
- If you’d like to support Mark and help raise vital funds for LawCare, you can view his sponsorship page and donate here: LawCare: Mark’s page
- You can also read LawCare’s report Life in the Law 2025 which provides a comprehensive overview of mental health and wellbeing in the profession. The report reveals the current state of the legal sector, finding that:
- Nearly 60% of respondents reported poor mental wellbeing
- Almost 79% of respondents regularly work beyond their contracted hours
- 56% said they could see themselves leaving their current workplace within the next 5 years, with 32% reporting that they could leave the sector entirely.
- Share the Law Society’s mental health hub with your members
