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The Law Society of Scotland has warned of significant risks for criminal justice after MSPs voted to approve untested changes to Scotland’s criminal court system. The final vote on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill concluded this afternoon, with 71 MSPs backing the leg

A parliamentary inquiry has strongly backed the Law Society of Scotland’s calls for the Scottish government to urgently increase civil legal aid fees and pursue reforms to restore access to justice. The Report on the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee inquiry into Civil Legal

The Law Society of Scotland’s Property Law Committee is reviewing how climate change risks might impact the advice which solicitors should give for property transactions. The committee is aware of a practice note recently issued by the Law Society of England and Wales titled Climate change and

The latest announcement in the incredible delay into implementing alternative business structures is scrutinised by Brian Inkster. The Law Society of Scotland has announced that they were deferring work on Licensed Legal Service Providers (LLSP), commonly referred to as Alternative Business Structur

The Law Society of Scotland has announced it will defer work on regulating new non-solicitor owned legal businesses for two years. It said this will allow it to focus on the "required significant changes" to improve the current complaints system for the benefit of consumers of legal services, and to

Scotland’s legal sector has formally welcomed 130 new solicitors to the profession at dual admissions ceremonies in Edinburgh.

The Law Society of Scotland is to establish a new committee to oversee its international work. The committee will advise on international activities, including the society’s relations with EU institutions and other bars and law societies around the globe, as well as raising awareness about the

The Law Society of Scotland has expanded its paralegal accreditation scheme with a new category recognising practitioners who have high-level skills and experience. General accreditation will be available for high-performing paralegals whose work does not meet the requirements for any of the existin

Extended rights of audience have been granted to five new solicitor advocates in a ceremony held at the Court of Session. Law Society of Scotland president Patricia Thom invited Lord Summers to administer the Declaration of Allegiance to the solicitor advocates as they joined the five solicitor advo

A Law Society of Scotland review of law firm websites has revealed that less than a third included information about pricing. A total of 109 out of the 381 legal firms across Scotland which were included in the review sample had pricing information available on their website in line with Law Society

The Law Society of Scotland’s risk management competition has returned, seeking the best new ideas to reduce risk for the legal sector. The annual Innovation Cup is focused on improving systems, processes or controls within private practice firms, from a simple tweak through to something compl

Public sector in-house solicitor Anne Stewart has been elected as convener of the Law Society of Scotland’s In-house Lawyers Committee (ILC). Ms Stewart, head of legal and corporate governance at the Scottish Social Services Council has worked in-house for more than 20 years and has been a mem

A survey of smaller Scottish law firms has found many are upbeat about the future of such legal businesses, despite challenges around areas such as staffing, technology and work-related stress. The Law Society of Scotland commissioned independent research company Taylor McKenzie Research to examine

The Law Society of Scotland has granted extended rights of audience to five new solicitor advocates in a ceremony held yesterday. At the Court of Session, Law Society president Patricia Thom invited Lord Richardson to administer the declaration of allegiance.

A report has praised an important protection for legal services consumers provided by the Law Society of Scotland.