The NSW Law Society has backed down in an extraordinary row over same-sex marriage by issuing a statement appeasing members who oppose a change in the law by clarifying its public support for the move does not represent the views of each of its 30,000 members.

The society, which is the professional body for the state's solicitors, came under sustained fire from a small but vocal group of members who condemned it for issuing a joint press release with the NSW Bar Association and state division of the Australian Medical Association backing a change to the Marriage Act.

NSW Law Society president Pauline Wright has bowed to pressure from members opposed to same-sex marriage. Credit:James Brickwood

Led by Sydney law firm partner Robin Speed of tax advisory firm Speed & Stracey, the group circulated a requisition last month for an extraordinary general meeting to vote on a series of resolutions, including that the Law Society be "censured" for "incorrectly holding out that all solicitors in NSW had united in supporting marriage equality laws".

On September 28, the group secured the required 250 signatures to trigger the meeting.