Member Article

Prestigious appointment for Northumbria law academic

Northumbria University associate professor Russell Hewitson has been appointed as the first academic to be Chair of an influential committee of the Law Society of England and Wales.

The Conveyancing & Land Law Committee is one of the Law Society’s specialist policy committees. It represents solicitors across England and Wales.

As the front-face of the committee, Russell’s role will involve regular meetings with key stakeholders such the Government, the Law Commission and the Land Registry to provide expert advice, and to respond to consultations. His involvement with the Committee will also feed into the teaching on the Legal Practice Course and MLaw programmes at Northumbria, offering students an enhanced learning experience.

Russell will take up his post in September and will be in the position for three years. His responsibilities will include promoting improvements in all branches of residential and commercial land law, conveyancing procedure and practice, and related matters.

Russell said: “These appointments are only made every three years, and as far as I know this is the first time the Law Society has chosen an academic to lead the committee. It is therefore a huge honour for me. I am looking forward to working with the other members of the committee, and to representing the interests of the profession to the best of my ability.

“ Conveyancing is a wide and diverse sector covering areas from the residential buying and selling of houses to City and commercial property law. Key references for all of us on the Committee are to assist the profession in adapting to regulatory change and to promote solicitors’ firms as the leading providers of quality conveyancing services.“

Professor John Wilson, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Business and Law at Northumbria, added: “This is a highly prestigious appointment, not just for Russell but for Northumbria Law School and the wider University. Russell has a wealth of professional experience that he will bring to the role, and in turn to our students who will benefit from a learning experience informed by real-world relevance that will assist them in their future careers.”

For more information on Northumbria Law School, please visit: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/academic-departments/northumbria-law-school/

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