During the pilot they may contact a colleague in their region who they consider might be in difficulty, either because of a personal or financial problem that is affecting their practice. The Law Society will not have any direct involvement in the scheme and the co-operation of the practitioner called upon is voluntary. The aim of the pilot is to try to contain problems before they enlarge or explode and affect the professional reputation and integrity of the practitioner - the scheme is to help, not harm. Practitioners who are having difficulties and need someone to talk to are also encouraged to phone Mark or Sharna, in confidence, to have a chat. You don't have to be a member of the Eastern Suburbs Law Society to do so - practitioners from any location may phone.
Statistics also provide evidence of the profession's concern for solicitors in difficulty.
The 1996 Practising Certificate Survey asked whether the Law Society should intervene if a practitioner was facing significant personal or business problems that could affect their work with clients. The pilot and the scheme itself, should it become fully operational, will be conducted on a confidential basis, and to help those in difficulty, the Society already has in place a number of services and schemes, also operated on a confidential basis. The Law Society of New South Wales is the professional association for the solicitors branch of the legal profession in the State of New South Wales, Australia. 170 Phillip Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.