Membership Information

Membership Benefits/Discounts

Counsel’s Fixed Fee Scheme

More benefits

Who to contact

Membership benefits

If frozen subscription rates and bargain deals alone are not enough to tempt you to join or renew your membership, maybe the following will:

• A gold card and membership discounts

Members of the Cardiff & District Law Society receive a Gold Membership Card, which entitles them to benefits/discounts from various organisations.

During 2007, members were offered benefits/discounts by several organisations, including Covent Garden Flower Emporium, Poppers, Quoteline Direct, St David’s Hotel & Marine Spa, Washington Gallery and Windsor Barbers. In addition, Slaters held a members’ discount evening and Mercedes Benz of Cardiff & Newport organised a special ‘test drive event’ for members.

Details of organisations offering benefits/discounts to members for 2008 are available below.

• Cheaper CPD points

Membership entitles members to 50 % discount on CPD courses run by the Cardiff & District Law Society, discounts on CLT courses held in Cardiff and 25% off courses run by the Confederation of South Wales Law Societies. For more information about current training course, click here.

• Fixed fee counsel’s advice

Members can participate in the ‘Counsel’s Fixed Fee Scheme’, which enables members to receive advice from specialist counsel (at Temple Chambers (Cardiff), 9 Park Place, 30 Park Place and 33 Park Place) of up to thirty minutes duration either in person at Chambers or by telephone for a fixed fee. For further information on this benefit, click here.

• Preferential recruitment rates

First Legal Recruitment (a joint enterprise between Cardiff & District Law Society. and Monmouth Law Society) offers preferential rates to members when using the agency.

• Keep up-to-date

All members receive Legal News, which covers legal issues and social events. The Cardiff & District Law Society also has this web site.

• Online advertising 

The website has a new ‘Find a Solicitor’ section and, as an additional benefit, members of Cardiff & District Law Society are entitled to enhanced FREE ‘advertising’ linked to their ‘Find a Solicitor’ entry. This enhanced FREE ‘advertising’ is accessed by the ‘MORE’ button next to the member firm's name and includes additional marketing details, such as website address, quality standards, panel memberships, specialist services and a general introduction to the practice.

• Contact with the local judiciary

There is contact and liaison between the local Courts and the Cardiff & District Law Society.

• Working committees, working for your interests

There are some 12 working committees. These comprise Council members and co-opted members drawn from the membership. This allows members to assist in forming policies and dealing with issues that affect the profession.

• Have your say

The Cardiff & District Law Society is the largest local Law Society in Wales, whose views are heard in Chancery Lane. You could add your voice for notice to be taken nationally.

• Looking to the future

There is regular contact and liaison with the local Trainee Solicitors Group, which is represented at the Cardiff & District Law Society’s monthly Council meetings.

Counsel’s Fixed Fee Scheme (TOP)

Following discussions with Temple Chambers (Cardiff), 9 Park Place, 30 Park Place and 33 Park Place, all four Chambers have agreed to renew their participation in ‘Counsel’s Fixed Fee Scheme’, which is open to members of Cardiff & District Law Society.

The Scheme enables a solicitor to receive advice from Counsel of up to 30 minutes duration, either in person at Chambers or by telephone.

A member wishing to take advantage of the Scheme should contact the Clerk to Chambers, quoting the ‘Cardiff & District Law Society Fixed Fee Scheme’. The following information should be provided:

1. Name of preferred Counsel

2. Names and addresses of all parties, to identify any potential conflict

3. General area of law involved

4. The precise legal issue upon which advice is required

5. Cardiff & District Law Society membership number, which is shown on the front of Gold Membership Cards

The fixed fee is £50 plus VAT.

In situations where Counsel cannot advise within the half hour limit Counsel may either refuse the instructions or negotiate an additional fee.

Payment of the fee must be made by the solicitor member within 14 days of receipt of Counsel’s fee note.

Contact details for those Chambers participating in the Scheme are as follows:

And there’s more! - Don’t forget the other benefits also available to members of the Cardiff & District Law Society, including:  (TOP)

Covent Garden Flower Emporium

Supplier of flowers and associated gifts - Offering 10% discount on orders (in person or by telephone only) or additional value of 10% on orders (online orders only). Orders can be made in person, by telephone or online (at www.coventgardenflowersdirect.com). A reminder service is available online - to remember those special occasions - and a National delivery service is also available. Branches are located at 5 Thornhill Road, Cardiff (Tel: 029 20 750750), 1 Shirley Road, Roath (Tel: 029 20 495999) and Hazel House, Caerphilly Road, Caerphilly (Tel: 029 20 868087).

Poppers

75 Pontcanna Street, Cardiff - Exclusive ladies designer wear – Offering 15% off purchases over £100.00 (excluding sale items – single transactions only).

Quoteline Direct on 0800 970 9899

Insurance Brokers – Offering automatic membership of Quoteline Direct Gold Club, providing savings of up to 35% on various insurance policies and other associated benefits/discounts.

St David’s Hotel & Marine Spa

Cardiff Bay – Offering discounted leisure club rates.

The Sinclair Group

Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes vehicle sales – Offering preferential discounts on selected new Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes vehicles purchased from The Sinclair Group. Mercedes showrooms situated at Cardiff, Newport, Bridgend, Swansea and Haverfordwest. Volkswagen/Audi showrooms situated at Bridgend, Port Talbot and Swansea (Members to contact relevant showroom for further details).

Washington Gallery

Stanwell Road, Penarth – Contemporary Welsh Art Gallery - Offering 10% off the purchase price of paintings at selected opening night exhibitions throughout 2007 (Members to contact the gallery direct to register their interest and to be included on the gallery’s database).

Windsor Barbers

Windsor Place, Cardiff – Gents Barbers and Male Grooming – Offering half price male grooming treatments (eg. hot towel shaves, facials and manicures) with any full price haircut.

Who to contact (TOP)

Should you have any general queries regarding membership benefits, Counsel’s Fixed Fee Scheme, or are aware of any organisations that may be interested in providing benefits to members, please notify Tom Danter, Membership Secretary as follows:

 (TOP)