Mark Borland 

Mr Lavery lost his post as human rights commissioner last week following an independent investigation by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission that found him in breach of its Code of Governance.

Lloyd-Lavery was convicted in April of historical sexual offences committed against female pupils at schools where he was employed as a teacher between 1975 and 1979. Mr Lavery provided his cousin with a character reference in which he referred to him as a Christian man and “a person of sound judgement and good character”.

The Law Society opened its own internal investigation into Mr Lavery’s actions, but it was closed with him remaining in post. He has apologised for this “serious error in judgement” in providing the reference.

Nevertheless, he has faced mounting calls for him to go from both inside and outside the legal profession. UUP leader, Jon Burrows, called for him to step down with immediate effect and one of the victims of Lloyd-Lavery, Nicola Bannon, questioned “whether or not he is the right person to be leading an institution of such importance as the Law Society of Northern Ireland”.

Among solicitors Mr Lavery’s actions, and his remaining as chief executive of the Law Society, have  prompted the resignation of senior member of the council of the Law Society, Mr Phillip Armstrong, and led members of the society to call for a Special General Meeting (SGM) in which they are expected to call for his resignation. The Belfast Telegraph reported speaking to one solicitor who said that they have not met a solicitor yet who thinks Mr Lavery should still be in the job.

Solicitor Jonathan McKeown of JMK Solicitors, one of the members who called for an SGM, told BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme yesterday that the issue had “spiraled away” from Mr Lavery and become one of public trust in the Society.

Mr Borland, speaking to Good Morning Ulster today, accepted that this incident has harmed how people view the Law Society, but gave Mr Lavery his support to “continue as chief executive of the Law Society of Northern Ireland and to move us forward”.