A special general meeting of the Law Society of Northern Ireland has been called after members sought answers over the retention of chief executive David Lavery, who provided a character reference for a cousin convicted of historical sexual offences.

President Mark Borland said Lavery has his support to remain in post. Borland said Lavery issued a sincere apology to the society for providing the reference for William Lloyd-Lavery, a former teacher jailed in April for indecently assaulting five girls at a south Belfast school in the 1970s.

Borland acknowledged the society's handling of the matter was wrong and that it failed to communicate what it was doing, why, and how. He said the society needed to put procedures in place to avoid repeating the mistake.

He said the internal process into Lavery's conduct was independent and robust, and that the outcome, allowing Lavery to remain chief executive, must be accepted. He described the matter as an employment issue.

The meeting was triggered after 50 members wrote to the society requesting it. Solicitors want to know how the decision was made to keep Lavery in his role and on what basis.

Lavery was dismissed from his role as a human rights commissioner last week after an independent investigation by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission found him in breach of its code of governance. He had previously described providing the reference as a serious error in judgment.

The controversy has prompted the resignation of senior Law Society council member Phillip Armstrong. Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows called for Lavery to step down with immediate effect. One of Lloyd-Lavery's victims, Nicola Bannon, questioned whether Lavery was the right person to lead the Law Society.

Solicitor Jonathan McKeown of JMK Solicitors, one of the members who called for the meeting, said the issue had become one of public trust in the society rather than solely about Lavery.

Borland said the episode had harmed how people view the Law Society. He said the society needed to earn respect and should be the definitive voice of the solicitor's profession and a strong voice on justice in Northern Ireland.