Mr. Michael Mathews

Michael Mathews, president of the Law Society, said that the previous Government's attempts to dismantle the court monopoly had proved a false dawn, leading to only a few solicitor-advocates."This reform will lead to many more highly competent solicitor-advocates, able to challenge the Bar's historic dominance in this vital area.This means a real increase in choice for the public," he said.

Michael Mathews

Michael Mathews, past president of the Law Society, who represents the City of London on its council, argues that it would be wrong to criticise self-regulation other than by comparing its merits to a definite alternative. 'There are many forms regulation could take, and once one has been suggested, it would be possible to measure the present system against it.'
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Mr Mathews is aware of the way the political wind is blowing, and it meant this review was bound to come sooner or later, he says. 'Self-regulation is not flavour of the month,' he remarks.
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Mr Mathews, a former partner at Clifford Chance, says the City would 'probably shed few tears' at the loss of the Society as a regulator.

Paradoxically, he says, the City is unlikely to be happy with many alternatives, 'which could be substantially more expensive'.An alternative regulator might be funded on the basis of an income tax, he suggests. 'And there could be a double whammy, with even more regulation,' he fears. 'For many firms, better the devil you know.'

Guests were welcomed by the Master of the Carpenters' Company, Mr Michael Mathews, and the Chairman of the Craft Education Committee Mr Michael Montague-Smith spoke of the work of the College and achievements of the students over the past year.

MR MathewsThe Master for the year is Mr Michael Mathews.Mr Mathews' professional background is in law.He was educated at Uppingham School and King's College Cambridge, and went on to become a partner with the law firm Clifford Chance.He was President of the Law Society of England and Wales in 1998/99 and is a Past Master of the City of London's Solicitors' Company.

He and his wife Ann have two sons and one daughter.Mr Mathews' interests include walking, history and watching good cricket.

The Senior Warden for the year is Mr Michael Mathews, the Middle Warden is Mr John Sennitt and the Junior Warden is Rev Dr Peter Povey JP.

Michael Mathews

Michael Mathews, a former Law Society president from the era in the late 1990s when the heat was turned up by the government for the first time, says: 'I have no doubt the solution to the problem lies with getting a greater percentage of complaints dealt with - in a way which satisfies clients - by the firms which give rise to them.'
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But Mr Mathews is unsure how this addresses the underlying problem. 'As to how the changes will help, frankly I don't know the answers.
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Mr Mathews says solicitors who have contact with the OSS commonly believe it to be biased against them and in favour of the consumer.
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Mr Mathews cannot see what more the Law Society can do to reach the unconverted, even if it does face huge fines. 'The ones who are at fault are unlikely to be doing continuing professional development courses.

'Some form of direction onto courses might achieve something at the margin, but it actually needs a belief that this is the right way to deal with things,' he says.