... bringing you the latest news, views and information from The Law Society of Jersey.

This issue includes details of the re-election of Advocate Nigel Sanders as President, and of the new Law Society Committee, this year's Jersey International Family Law Conference and news of the forthcoming Mental Health Awareness Week.

Members have also received the newly-issued Guidance Note covering the use of artificial intelligence in the legal profession, which can be accessed here. Members should note that the link to the Guidance Note has changed and, where they are providing links to the Guidance Note via social media, they should take steps to update their links accordingly.

Important dates for members' diaries, reminders of members' and firms' obligations for updating the Law Society, and a number of other court-related, government and regulatory announcements are also included, along with wellbeing, education and employment updates.

The new permanent Directory section (see below) contains links to the most up-to-date versions of various guidance notes and forms relevant to the profession. This section will be updated and expanded to reflect and include the latest guidance and form versions, and will also include links to external websites which may be of use to practitioners.

At the Law Society's Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 22 April 2026, Advocate Nigel Sanders was re-elected as President of the Law Society of Jersey.

At the Annual General Meeting of the Law Society on Wednesday 22 April 2026, the following Officers and Committee Members were elected:

Officers:

President - Nigel Sanders
Secretary - Edward Drummond
Treasurer - Alex Ohlsson
Development Officer - Rebecca McNulty

Committee:

Eleanor Davies
Sam Malpass
Carl Parslow
Charlotte Yates

Mike Preston (as Bâtonnier) and Tony Del Amo (as President of the Chambre des Ecrivains) continue in office, and sit on the Committee on an ex officio basis.

The Law Society was saddened by the news that Linda Williams, a retired écrivain, had passed away on Monday, 16 March, 2026, aged 83 years. Linda will be deeply missed by all her family and many friends and former colleagues. The Law Society, on its own behalf and on behalf of all members, extends its deepest sympathies to Linda's family.

Details of the 2026 The Jersey International Family Law Conference and Dinner - sponsored by Corbett Le Quesne - have been announced.

It will take place on Friday 2nd October 2026 at Hotel L’Horizon, St Brelade.

The theme of the conference this year is “Chattels: from the Hamster to the Super Yacht” and the keynote speaker is Sir Andrew McFarlane. 

There will be sessions in respect of the law relating to pets within family law, art, classic cars, super yachts and other chattels which occupy the Family Courts within financial remedy proceedings.

Costs (per person)
• Conference: £125.00
• Dinner: £110.00

Further (updated) details can be found here and the booking form can be downloaded here.

Now that the breathless excitement of the elections for President and Committee members of the Law Society is over, attention turns to the minor matter of Island-wide elections.

Jersey Finance has published some insights and resources, which it hopes will make a practical contribution to informing both voters and candidates as they consider the Island’s future, and how we can all work constructively together to support a thriving, resilient and forward-looking Jersey:

A Strong Industry for a Strong Island

Your Voice Matters

Firms are reminded that their accountant's certificate (under Rule 47) in relation to the operation of their client account must, without exception, be submitted and received by the Law Society no later than six (6) months after their accounting year end.

Click accountant's certificate to download the latest certificate template, and accountant's reporting checklist to download the latest accountant's checklist.

A member's report, under Rule 50.1(a), must also be completed and submitted by the firm within six (6) months of the firm's year end, preferably at the same time as the accountant’s certificate.

Click members' report to download the latest reporting template.

All such returns should be addressed to the Operations Manager and sent to the The Law Society of Jersey, PO Box 493, St Helier, Jersey JE4 5SZ. Any queries in relation to such certifications should be addressed to Jonathan Bale on 01534 613950 or by email.

Where a firm has changed their accountant or the date of its financial year, it is required to inform the Law Society in writing.

For ease of reference, the Accounts Rules can be viewed/downloaded here.

Law firms operating as LLPs which have been recognised by the Law Society of Jersey as Legal Services Bodies ("LSBs") are reminded that any changes in the membership of the Legal Services Body must be advised to the Law Society in advance of the effective date of such changes.

Any queries in relation to LSBs, including in relation to potential new applications, should be directed to Jonathan Bale on 01534 613950 or by email.

Firms are reminded that any changes to their:

• practice address
• website address
• primary contact telephone number or
• email address for general enquiries

must be advised in advance of the effective date to the Law Society.

Notification of changes must be sent to the Law Society by mail to PO Box 493, St Helier, Jersey, JE4 5SZ, or by email.

Where firms maintain a PO Box or JE1 address which does not include a physical office address, firms must provide the Law Society and the Court with a physical address for service purposes.

Key contact changes should also be advised by firms to the Legal Aid Office (email@legalaid.je) and to the Court (d.ozouf@courts.je).

Members are reminded that it is their personal responsibility to update the Law Society in respect of:

• change of firms
• change of circumstances
• change of contact details

Members are reminded of the importance of advising the Society of any changes in circumstances or firms.

Notification MUST be provided, in all cases, in advance of the effective date of the change.

All proposed changes must be advised by completion and submission of the Membership Update Form.

Completed Membership Update Forms must be sent to the Law Society at PO Box 493, St Helier, Jersey, JE4 5SZ, or by email.

No action will be taken in respect of any request until receipt by the Law Society of the Membership Update Form.

Members are reminded that any changes also need to be advised to the Judicial Greffe (to update the Court's records) so that they do not miss out on any important communications. Updates should be sent to Darrell Ozouf at d.ozouf@courts.je.

The Legal Aid Office should also be advised of any changes in personal details or circumstances. Details should be advised to email@legalaid.je.

Practitioners will find the latest news and events published by the Jersey Financial Services Commission here.

Thinking about using AI in your business? There are likely to be data protection considerations.

The Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner (JOIC) has released the themes for its Data Protection Express clinics for May and June, which include providing support around protecting personal information when using AI, keeping personal information secure and the six golden rules of data protection, as well as managing a data breach.

The clinics run every Wednesday afternoon during May and June at the JOIC’s office at Ritz House, 5 Castle Street, St Helier, are free of charge and have been designed especially with small business owners in mind. Those booking a 30-minute spot benefit from:

● Clear, practical advice about local data protection law.
● The opportunity to ask questions tailored to their business.
● Feeling more confident about their responsibilities.

You can find out more and book your appointment on the events pages of the JOIC’s website, by calling the JOIC team on 716530 or emailing them at events@jerseyoic.org.

Practitioners are advised that the Licensing Assembly will meet in ordinary session on :

📅 Thursday 18 June 2026 at 10.00am

📅 Thursday 24 September 2026 at 10.00am

📅 Thursday 17 December 2026 at 10.00am

for the purpose of considering applications under the Licensing (Jersey) Law 1974.

Advance notice is given that this year's Assise d’Héritage will be held on Friday 18 September 2026.

As advocates will be expected to renew their oath at the Assise d’Héritage, they are respectfully requested to 'save the date'.

The Law Society's Annual Dinner which celebrates the Opening of the Legal Year will again be held on the same day as the Assise d’Héritage, on Friday 18 September 2026.

The dinner will again be held at L'Horizon Hotel, St Brelade and the guest speaker has been confirmed as the Lieutenant-Governor, His Excellency Vice Admiral Sir Jerry Kyd KBE.

Members are requested to 'save the date'.  Dinner bookings will open in due course.

​May 6 - Coronation Day
May 9 - Anniversary of the Liberation of the Island
June 13 - Official birthday of His Majesty the King
June 21 - Anniversary of the birthday of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
July 17 - Anniversary of the birthday of Her Majesty The Queen
​September 8 - His Majesty The King's Accession
​November 8​ - ​Remembrance Day (second Sunday in November)
​November 14 - ​Anniversary of the birthday of His Majesty the King
​November 30 - ​St Andrew's Day (in Scotland)

Further information on dates for flying flags on buildings for 2026 and flag flying in general can be found here.

Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) is coming up in May (11 - 17 May 2026), and LawCare would like to invite you to join them for their free webinar Let’s talk about difficult conversations at work on Thursday 14 May from 12 to 1pm.

Their panel will share practical tips to help you handle tricky conversations with colleagues, managers, teams and clients. Whether it’s giving feedback, raising concerns or managing pressure at work, their panel will share insights to help you feel more confident and supported.

Sign up for the webinar here.

Join EYECAN on 26 June 2026 to celebrate 140 years of EYECAN at their interactive, professional and public conference with inspiring speakers.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect, learn, and reflect together. They will be exploring how accessibility, inclusion, assistive technology and ophthalmic medical eye care has developed over the past 140 years, and where things might be heading into our future.

Hear throughout the day from those with lived experience both locally and from the UK, with inspiring panel sessions and key note presentations from invited guests, and our own EYECAN team providing the local context.

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to explore how Jersey can continue to develop into a community that supports islanders living with sight loss.

LawCare is the mental wellbeing charity for the legal profession. They’ve been supporting legal professionals for over 25 years and understand life in the law.

LawCare offer free, confidential, emotional support, peer support and resources to those working in the law in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. They promote mental health and wellbeing best practice in legal workplaces and drive culture change in education, training and practice.

If you need support contact the LawCare helpline on 0800 279 6888 (open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday), email support@lawcare.org.uk or access online chat and other resources at www.lawcare.org.uk.

LawCare supports all branches of the legal profession: advocates, solicitors, barristers, judges, chartered legal executives, paralegals, trademark attorneys, patent attorneys, costs lawyers, notaries, licensed conveyancers, support staff and concerned family members.

The Law Society of Jersey is proud to be associated with, and to support the work of, LawCare.

Life in law is fast-paced and demanding. Practitioners spend so much time helping others that their own wellbeing can take a back seat.

The Legal Pause is a podcast dedicated to putting solicitor wellbeing first. They will also introduce you to fresh perspectives (sometimes the controversial ones!) about issues that often get overlooked.

Their podcast offers expert conversations on solicitor wellbeing, plus practical insights you can use in everyday life and work. In just half an hour, it’s a pause that fits easily into your routine while leaving you feeling more balanced and supported.

More details, and where to download the podcasts from, can be found here.

The Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU) of the International Bar Association has created a podcast series interviewing inspiring IBA members from around the world with interesting careers and remarkable stories.

Each guest shares their thoughts and experiences about what it means to be a woman in the legal profession and how they have navigated different types of workplaces and challenges over the course of their career. The series covers women across all sectors of the law.

The second episode of its Inspirational legal women podcast Series 2, featuring prominent French employment lawyer Pascale Lagesse, is now live, and you can listen to it here.

The 2026 IBA Annual Conference will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark on 4 - 9 October 2026.

What will IBA 2026 offer you?

• Access 5,000+ attendees representing over 2,700 law firms, corporations, governments and regulators from more than 130 jurisdictions
• Opportunities to win more work and referrals at the world’s best networking and business development event for lawyers and law firms
• Save time and money by meeting all your legal contacts under one roof
• Hear from leading international figures, government officials, general counsel and experts from across all practice areas and continents
• Expand your professional network and meet legal professionals and practitioners from around the world
• Participate in sessions that offer practical strategies and tools to apply directly to your practice

Further details can be found here.

A complete list of upcoming IBA events can be found on their conference diary page.

Are you looking for that next job on the legal career ladder? Click Legal Vacancies to see the latest job adverts.

Individuals who are looking for that next Legal career move can also register to receive details of the latest vacancies as soon as they become available. Go to the Legal Vacancies page and click on the 'Subscribe' button under the heading "Subscribe to job alerts" and follow the instructions.

If your firm wishes to advertise any vacancies, please send the following information to Sits Vac:

• the job or role title - with a brief description of the role
• the term - whether Full Time / Part Time / Contract
• a job description (if available)
• details of the remuneration package (or indicate as Negotiable or Market Rate)
• when the role is available from
• how to apply
• the name and contact details for a contact point for condidates to request further details
• the closing date for applications (if any)

Please include a small image file of the firm's latest logo in the email.

Advertising of vacancies for law firms is currently free of charge.

To discuss any aspect of advertising your vacancy, please call Jonathan Bale on 01534 613950.

To view/download the latest Guidance Notes, please click :

Guidance Note GN02 - Use of AI in the Legal Profession

Guidance Note GN05 - CPD Eligible Activities

Guidance Note GN06 - CPD Waivers and Sanctions

To view / download the most up-to-date Law Society forms, please click :

Code of Conduct - Membership Update form (individuals)

Code of Conduct - Legal Services Body Update form

Code of Conduct - CPD Record template (Excel) (preferred)

Code of Conduct - CPD Record template (Word)

Code of Conduct - Waiver Application form

Accounts Rules - Accountant's Certificate template

Accounts Rules - Accountant's Reporting Checklist template

Accounts Rules - Member's Report template

Accounts Rules - Waiver Application form

CEO (Neville Benbow)

Email: ceo@jerseylawsociety.je

Operations Manager (Jonathan Bale)

Email: manager@jerseylawsociety.je

Telephone: +44 (0)1534 613950

Accounts

Email: accounts@jerseylawsociety.je

LawCare: LawCare is the mental health charity for everyone in the 
legal sector.

The Solicitors' Charity: The Solicitors’ Charity has been supporting solicitors at times of need since 1858.

Jersey Family Court Advisory Service (JFCAS). To book 1:1 sessions, which take place on the last Friday of each month, go to Eventbrite.

Any links to third-party websites are provided solely for informational purposes. Inclusion of such links does not constitute or imply our endorsement, approval, or affiliation with the linked site or its operators.

Should you wish to submit anything for publication in the Law Society's Directions newsletter, please write in the first instance to Submissions.

Details of forthcoming events which are relevant to the legal profession should be sent to Events.

Directions is published fortnightly on a Friday, with a copy deadline of the preceding Wednesday.