Law Society of Scotland to move to Atria One

Law Society of Scotland to move to Atria One

The Law Society of Scotland confirmed its plans to move to new Edinburgh offices at its annual general meeting last night.

The move to Atria One on Morrison Street involves the complete sale of the Law Society’s current buildings on Drumsheugh Gardens.

The new office premises will, it said,l offer more modern and environmentally-friendly surroundings for staff and visitors.

Lorna Jack, chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “Our office move will help us to be relevant and effective in supporting our members, stakeholders and the public in the years ahead.

“After 47 years, the Law Society offices at Drumsheugh Gardens are increasingly unfit for purpose and expensive to maintain.

“That is why we have been reviewing our long term office location over the last year. Following that review, it is clear that moving to a new office represents the best decision.

“The legal market is changing and changing fast. Just as Scottish solicitors are changing the way they work, so too must their professional body.

“The new offices in Atria will provide better facilities for members who rely on our services and the hundreds of people who volunteer their time in delivering our regulatory and representative work.”

All email addresses and telephone numbers will remain the same and the Society anticipates no disruption to their services as a result of the move.

Anyone wanting more information is encouraged to visit the website www.lawscot.org.uk/officemove.

Ms Jack also highlighted a new strategy for the Law Society at last night’s AGM. It will be launched later this year.

She said: “The Society’s current strategy “Towards 2020” was published in 2011. Since then, many changes have taken place across the legal sector. Some we foresaw, such as court reforms, the consolidation of private practice and the impact of reductions in public spending.

“Other changes we didn’t anticipate for example, the rise in the use of paralegals, legal executives and legal technicians and outsourcing of legal work and the arrival of new and innovative business models now being used by our firms, even without rules for alternative business structures being up and running.

“So to remain relevant, effective and a truly world class professional body we have reviewed and substantially revised the strategy we adopted back in 2011 to ensure it is fit for 2016 and beyond.

“We’re excited by its ambition and scope and hope that our solicitor members and other stakeholders will be too.”

Solicitors at the meeting agreed to retain the current practising certificate fee at £550. This is the sixth consecutive year that the fee has been held at this level.

The meeting endorsed a draft amendment to the practice rule on the ARTL Mandates in order to update the legislative basis on which the rule operates.

For more information about the AGM, visit www.lawscot.org.uk/agm

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