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 sub-committees, as well as setting its own strategy, with the remit of regulating practice. The committee is made up of an equal numbers of solicitor and non-solicitor members and is led by a non-solicitor convener.
The new strategy sets out five overarching objectives. The first, ‘protect’, is focused on protecting consumer and public interest, and protecting the rule of law. The second, ‘scrutinise’, is focused on examining the work of the subcommittee and other delegates of the committee to ensure their value and productivity. The remaining three are ‘enhance’, ‘align’, and ‘develop’. ‘Enhance’ is focused on raising public awareness of the society’s work, as well as developing a proportionate and principals focused regulatory structure that will enhance the competitiveness of the Scottish legal sector. ‘Align’ is focused on making sure that the regulatory committee’s work aligns with other groups in the society, whilst ‘develop’ is a process of internal self-reflection and development.
Craig Cathcart, Convener of the Law Society of Scotland Regulatory Committee said: “The legal profession has a key role in our society. Solicitors help people at pivotal points in their lives whether they are buying a new home, planning for the future of their family, building a successful business or upholding their rights in court. Anyone who seeks the advice of a solicitor must feel confident that they are in good hands. Having a robust and fair regulatory system which sets high standards for entry to Scotland’s solicitor profession and throughout a solicitor’s years in practice, along with clear consumer protections, provides that assurance.”