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The UK government’s proposal to overhaul anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement will impose additional complexity and cost for law firms and consumers of legal services in Scotland, according to the Law Society of Scotland. The government has announced that the Financial Conduct Authority wil

Lawyers and judges are facing "violence, death threats and rape threats" as part of a "rising tide of intimidation", bars and law societies across the UK have warned in a joint statement. The Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates have co-signed the statement alongside the Bar Council

The critical importance of the rule of law and ethical considerations for the legal professions were central themes at the Law Society of Scotland's annual conference. Around 1,000 Law Society members and others attended either online or in person at the Edinburgh International Conference and Exhibi

The Law Society of Scotland has added its voice to calls from humanitarian organisations and legal communities across the globe, declaring unequivocal opposition to capital punishment today, on World Day against the Death Penalty. Patricia Thom, president of the Law Society of Scotland, said: &ldquo

The Law Society of Scotland has condemned comments from the UK shadow justice secretary and the "increasing prevalence of rhetoric designed to undermine the independence of the judiciary". At the Conservative Party’s annual conference in Manchester this week, Robert Jenrick proposed to restore

Legislation that aims to reduce the number of domestic abuse-related homicides and suicides in Scotland and also update the criminal justice regime has been passed unanimously at Holyrood. The Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill will legally require

The English legal press had their knives out for the Law Society of Scotland this past week. This was on the back of its announcement of a deferral of at least a further two years (to add to the existing 15 years since the introduction of the Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2010) in bringing about alt

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