The Law Society of Scotland has published its initial findings from its new AML attestation process. This is the first step in a new regime and involved selected firms to complete the new attestation document. The Law Society has found the first set of responses has highlighted some interesting points: R.21 requirements appear to be…
Legal Sector Affinity Group of the Law Society of Scotland implements updated AML guidance
The Legal Sector Affinity Group has implemented it’s updated guidance on anti-money laundering. The guidance has been approved by HM treasury. The updates reflect changes in the Money laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017. These include: Guidance on the new requirement to carry out proliferation financing risk assessments, either as part of…
New accreditation launched in Scotland for paralegals working in immigration law
The Law Society of Scotland has launched a new accreditation for paralegals working in immigration law. The new accreditation is in response to the expanding need in immigration law and recognises the increasing speciality of the area of law. The accreditation is voluntary and the process involves demonstrating the Law Society’s General Competencies and Standards…
The Scottish Government publishes its official remarks in response to reforms on legal regulation
The Scottish government plans to bring forward legislation to reform and update the regulation of legal services in Scotland. The proposed legislation comes on the back of a consultation undertaken in 2021 to identify areas of improvement in a regulatory system largely written in the 1980s. The consultation ran between October and November 2021, with…
Law Society of Scotland to introduce new anti-money laundering attestation process
The Law Society of Scotland’s Anti-money Laundering team has launched a new supervisory attestation process. This new process is set to reach practices which do not fall under the scope of the AML team’s full high risk inspection process. The new process will see the selected practices provide assurances across the 36 Key Compliance Principles…
The Scottish Government has released the results of its public consultation process into the outcomes of the 2017 Roberton Review
In 2017, the Scottish Government commissioned an independent Review of the regulation of legal services in Scotland (known as the Robertson Review). The primary recommendation from this was: “There should be a single regulator for all providers of legal services in Scotland. It should be independent of both government and those it regulates. It should…
The Law Society of Scotland launches the Innovation Cup 2022 to find the latest idea in risk management
The search for the latest idea in risk management within the Scottish legal profession was launched on 13th June. The Law Society of Scotland launched the Innovation Cup 2022 and has invited Scottish solicitors, paralegals, trainees, cash-room staff and student associates to submit their ideas for risk management products, tools or strategies. The winning idea…
Mandatory use of the Civil Online platform for simple procedure claims now permanent in Scotland
The system makes it mandatory for agents or party litigants to file their simple procedure claims directly via the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (“SCTS”) Civil Online platform, or by using the internet interface to the SCTS case management system. This process was brought in to mitigate the risk of face-to-face contact throughout the COVID-19…
The Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee has released a report on reforming the criminal justice sector
The Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee report into the criminal justice sector has highlighted the severe issues within the sector and confirmed the need to urgent change to avoid any potential disasters. The committee held a series of roundtables aimed at uncovering the short and long term steps that need to be taken to mitigate…
The Scottish Government is beginning a consultation aimed at reforming legal services regulation
The Consultation has been launched with the aim of ensuring that consumer interests are at the heart of Scottish legal services moving forward. The Scottish Government are seeking views on developing a system of legal services regulation that would promote a flourishing legal sector and place consumer interests at its heart. Ministers want to ensure…