Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003

Rights, obligations and property

2.—(1) Subject to paragraphs 3 and 9, on the first appointed day all rights, obligations and property of the Law Society which are referable to its functions under the 1981 Order shall become rights, obligations and property of the Commission.

(2) Any payments which are required to be made into or out of the Old Fund in connection with legal aid or advice or assistance under the 1981 Order shall, on and after the first appointed day, be paid to or by the Commission.

(3) Anything which, immediately before the first appointed day, is in the process of being done by or in relation to the Law Society may, if it relates to anything transferred by sub-paragraph (1), be continued by or in relation to the Commission.

(4) Anything done (or having effect as if done) by or in relation to the Law Society before the first appointed day for the purpose of, or in connection with, anything transferred by sub-paragraph (1) shall, so far as is required for continuing its effect after that time, have effect as if done by or in relation to the Commission.

(5) Any reference in any document, including any statutory provision, constituting or relating to anything transferred by sub-paragraph (1)—

(a) to, or to the Council of, the Law Society, or

(b) to the Legal Aid Committee, certifying committee or any other committee or tribunal established by the Law Society under Part II of the 1981 Order, or

(c) to any member or office-holder of such a committee or tribunal,

shall, so far as is required for giving effect to that sub-paragraph, be construed as a reference to the Commission, or in relation to a function exercisable by any individual or committee under arrangements made by the Commission under Article 7(4) of this Order, as a reference to that individual or committee.

(6) The Lord Chancellor may by order make any consequential, incidental, supplementary or transitional provisions, and any savings, which appear to him to be appropriate in consequence of or otherwise in connection with the transfers effected by sub-paragraph (1).

(7) An order under sub-paragraph (6) may include provisions in the form of amendments or repeals of this Schedule or any other statutory provision.