Legal executives who declared ‘no confidence’ in their representative body’s board amid an escalating row over plans to come under the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s remit have made a fresh request for a special general meeting.

A formal SGM request by former CILEX president Stephen Gowland on behalf of 64 verified CILEX fellows with voting rights was sent to members of the board and chief executive yesterday afternoon.

The request, seen by the Gazette, states that an SGM must be held no later than 11 January 2024 and, as the request contains ‘special resolutions’, eligible fellows must be given no less than 21 clear days’ notice.

One of the resolutions says: ‘Pursuant to amended byelaw 17, there be an electronic vote and all members of the institute shall be eligible to vote in relation to whether redelegation of regulation is in the public and member interest and should pass from [CILEx Regulation] to the SRA. Such a vote shall require a two-thirds majority in order for regulation to pass from CRL to the SRA.’

Earlier this month, it emerged that the dissident executives - informally known as Cilex Action Group - had requested a SGM on 27 September. An SGM request must be supported by 50 fellows. Cilex Action Group said it had the support of 52 fellows. However, CILEX said the request fell ‘some way short’ of the requirement.

CILEX chiefs are considering responses to their consultation to switch regulator and the request comes a day after solicitor MP James Daly accused CILEX of trying to deliberately destroy the solicitor profession with its proposals.

 

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