The Law Society has elected its future president with the appointment of Andrew Caplen as the next deputy vice president (DVP).

The society's council has elected Caplen, a consultant with Abels Solicitors in Southampton, to take up the role from July this year. Under the Law Society president succession system, he is due to become president of the Law Society in 2014.

Caplen secured the role after seeing off competition from a number of rival candidates including Ian Kelcey, David Taylor, Sundeep Bhatia and Derek French.

Caplen, who has been a council member since 2000, currently chairs the Law Society's management board and co-chairs the business oversight board. He has also been heavily involved in the legal aid debate, chairing the Access to Justice Committee and co-writing the Access to Justice Review that sought to improve the Government's Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.

Commenting on his appointment, he said: "We are in an era of change for legal services, with increasing competition, new models of business ownership and reduced public funding for legal aid. Working with the Council, with management and staff, I aim to ensure that the Law Society continues to support its members as they overcome the challenges and make the most of opportunities which arise from these changes."

Caplen will serve one year as DVP from July, and then one year as vice president from July 2013 before progressing to take up the post of president in 2014.

Stapleton & Son's Nick Fluck was elected as DVP last year, and will progress to vice president when current vice president, mental health and human rights lawyer Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, replaces Allen & Overy antitrust consultant John Wotton as president in July.