A newly released survey of Scottish solicitors, by the Law Society of Scotland, has found that more than three-quarters of respondent think that aspects of remote civil court work should continue post-pandemic. The results found that the majority of civil court practitioners have indicated that they think remote hearings work well for procedural and uncontentious…
Law Society of Scotland publishes a new strategy to improve regulatory process and enhance competition in the legal sector
The Law Society of Scotland’s Regulatory Committee has revealed a new two-year strategy, which is focused on improving regulatory processes, enhancing competition in Scotland’s legal sector and ensuring robust consumer protections. The Regulatory Committee is independent from the Law Society’s Council (the governing body of the Society), and is responsible for overseeing a number of…
Event: Law Society of Scotland Annual Conference 2021
April; 26 – 30, 2021 Online Running over the week of April 26-30, our online annual conference is our most ambitious yet with over 35 sessions ranging from black letter law, to in-house, recent legal developments and essential skills. And if you can’t be there for all of it – that’s okay, you can dip…
Law Society of Scotland launches new Racial Inclusion Group
The Law Society of Scotland has launched a new group on Racial Inclusion, headed up by Tatora Mukushi, a solicitor with Shelter Scotland, who has been appointed as the first convener of the group. The group has been formed by the Law Society, with the goal of forming a better understanding of the lived and…
Updated UK national risk assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing
The UK Treasury has published an updated UK National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. This follows the previous update from October 2017 and sets out the key money laundering and terrorist financing risks for the UK, and how these have developed since the first publication in 2015. Specifically, chapter 10 documents the…
Law Society of Scotland introduces new price transparency guidelines
Guidance for Solicitors in Scotland around price transparency is set to come into effect in January 2021. Under the new guidance, firms will be required to publish indicative price information about their services. The guidance will not apply to firms that solely undertake legal aid work or those which provide legal services to businesses, and…
Law Society of Scotland COVID-19 impact surveys and COP26 working group
COVID-19 impact In April/May 2020 the Law Society of Scotland undertook a telephone survey with private practice firms to understand the financial impact the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent restrictions were having on the sector. 90% of firms surveyed reported a downturn in new business, with the majority also reporting reduced turnover and cashflow. Read analysis…
Law Society of Scotland strategic partnership on cybersecurity
The Law Society of Scotland has agreed a new strategic partnership with Mitigo, a cybersecurity consultancy. The partnership will provide targeted guidance, advice and resources for the legal sector, helping solicitors to keep their digital operations secure. As well as supporting CPD and training events and providing practical advice, Mitigo will offer security and resilience…
Law Society of Scotland launches new mental health action plan
On Wednesday the 3rd June, The Law Society of Scotland launched a three-year action plan that aims to tackle the stigma around mental health in the legal sector. The plan follows the release of a survey in 2019 on the Scottish legal profession and individual views on mental health and the workplace. The full survey…
CMA releases report and recommendations on Scottish legal services
On the 24th March, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) released its review and recommendations on the legal services market in Scotland. One of the key recommendations put forward in the report is that an independent body should be set up to regulate the profession, separating representative and regulatory functions. The CMA has suggested that “Separating…