Society of Gentleman Practisers in the Courts of Law and Equity
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Society of Gentleman Practisers in the Courts of Law and Equity was an 18th-century professional society for attorneys and solicitors in England and Wales. It was founded in 1739 or 1740 to improve the social standing of the professions and to implement professional standards. It was the first law society to be established in the United Kingdom, though its relationship to the modern-day Law Society of England and Wales is not certain.
The Society of Gentleman Practisers in the Courts of Law and Equity was founded in either 1739 or 1740 by 28 elite London-based attorneys and solicitors.[1][2] At this time (prior to the Judicature Acts of 1873–75) an attorney was a lawyer who practised in the common law courts of England and Wales whilst a solicitor practised in the courts of equity/chancery. Up until the 18th century the attorneys had held themselves superior to the solicitors but around the time of the formation of the society the two professions held equal standing.[3] The society seems to have been partly founded in response to the public's distrust of the professions, partly as an attempt to improve the social standing of its members and partly as a reaction to the Attorneys and Solicitors Act 1728.[4] This act attempted to regulate the solicitors and attorneys (as well as ecclesiastical court proctors) by instituting a compulsory five-year articleship and the society supported this.[2]
The two professions represented by the society were inferior to that of the barristers, who practised in the higher courts. Though the barristers had their ancient Inns of Court, they were somewhat late in setting up organisations dedicated to maintaining professional standards – only reforming education following the 1854 Royal Commission.[4]
