The Law Society of Northern Ireland will hold a special general meeting within the next four weeks after receiving 50 letters from members calling for one. The meeting will debate and vote on motions including a call for the resignation of chief executive David Lavery.

Lavery provided a character reference for his cousin, William Lloyd-Lavery, a former teacher who was jailed in April for indecent assault. David Lavery later apologised and said he had made a serious error of judgement in providing the reference and regretted any hurt caused to victims.

He was removed from his role as a human rights commissioner last week. The Law Society has said it carried out an internal process but will not comment further due to confidentiality.

Solicitor Jonathan McKeown of JMK Solicitors, one of those who sought the meeting, said an independent investigation would help rebuild trust. He said the Law Society had not been transparent enough about its investigation and that members and the public now doubt the adequacy of the process.

McKeown also said the issue had moved beyond Lavery to the actions of senior management and the executive. He said he would support Lavery if he had publicly apologised and regained trust, but that contrition had not been visible from either Lavery or the society.