Law Society of Scotland
This information reflects the Society's web site at the date you downloaded or printed it and you should check at www.lawscot.org.uk to see if it is still current.

Press releases

The most recent press releases issued by the Society.

Election results for Stirling, Falkirk and Alloa

14 May 2012

Election results for Stirling, Falkirk and Alloa

Embedding ADR in Scotland's civil justice system

10 May 2012

Communities safety minister to open conference on alternative dispute resultion

Society comments on contributions in criminal cases

03 May 2012

Society comments on contributions in criminal cases

Scottish Legal Complaints Commission levy

01 May 2012

Scottish Legal Complaints Commission levy

Ross Harper to cease trading

30 April 2012

Law Society comment on Ross Harper following decision by judicial factor to cease trading

Trainees protected by Law Society decision on minimum wage

27 April 2012

Trainees protected by Law Society decision on minimum wage

Council approves changes to reduce its size by a quarter

27 April 2012

Council approves changes to reduce its size by a quarter

Brand protection at major sporting events and protecting the arts is the focus of World IP day conference

26 April 2012

Brand protection at major sporting events and protecting the arts is the focus of World IP day conference

Law Society of Scotland Annual general meeting

24 April 2012

Law Society of Scotland Annual general meeting

New Council members

24 April 2012

New Council members

Oliver Adair to resign from Council

13 April 2012

Oliver Adair to resign from Council

Judicial Factor appointed to Ross Harper

05 April 2012

Judicial factor appointed to Ross Harper

Society concerned at future of Nationwide solicitor panel

04 April 2012

Nationwide to reduce solicitor panel

Concern over SLCC 60% complaints fee rise

02 April 2012

Concern over SLCC 60% complaints fee rise

Society to take plans to reduce its Council to membership vote

30 March 2012

Society to take plans to reduce its Council to membership vote

Working group to look at in-house lawyers review

30 March 2012

A review of support and representation of Scotland’s 2,500 in-house lawyers will be considered by a working group headed by Council member David Newton.

Society approves revised HSBC documentation

26 March 2012

Law Society approves revised HSBC conveyancing paperwork

Council to debate constitution consultation responses

23 March 2012

Council to debate constitution consultation responses

Nairn pupils win place in debating tournament final

22 March 2012

Nairn pupils win semi final in debating tournament

Society maintains Europe could still block a minimum unit price for alcohol

14 March 2012

Society maintains Europe could still block a minimum unit price for alcohol

Craigmount pupils win place in debating tournament final

14 March 2012

Craigmount High pupils win debate semi-final 13.2.12

East Kilbride pupils win place in debating tournament final

14 March 2012

East Kilbride pupils win place in debate final

Society voices support for Malawi lawyers

09 March 2012

Law Society of Scotland urges an end to intimidation of human rights lawyers and judicial strikes in Malawi

Edinburgh pupils win a place in national debating tournament final

09 March 2012

Edinburgh pupils win a place in national debating tournament final

Society welcomes Information Commissioner view on Akzo Nobel

08 March 2012

Society welcomes Scottish Information Commissioner view on Akzo Nobel

Georgesons take on Highland Law Practice files

05 March 2012

Georgesons Wick to take on Highland Law Practice files

Court closure plans must not deny local justice

29 February 2012

Law Society calls for alternatives to be considered before court closures

Society report concludes – no evidence of wrongdoing on part of Esto directors

24 February 2012

Law Society report concludes – no evidence of wrongdoing on part of Esto directors

Judicial Factor appointed

16 February 2012

Judicial Factor appointed to Wick legal firm

Savings sought in complaints commission budget

15 February 2012

The Law Society is to urge the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) to look for further savings over and above the 0.5% reduction in its proposed annual budget.

Headline profitability up, but it's still a tough climate for law firms

13 February 2012

Headline profitability up, but it's still a tough climate for law firms

Society to issue additional guidance on powers of attorney

13 February 2012

Society to issue additional guidance on powers of attorney

HSBC mortgage system causes chaos for Scottish home buyers

10 February 2012

HSBC mortgage system causes chaos for Scottish home buyers

Pupils debate cameras in court

09 February 2012

Pupils win place in debating tournament semi finals 2012

Society opens latest stage of consultation on new constitution

08 February 2012

Society opens latest stage of consultation on new constitution

Law Society issues warning over HSBC mortgage documentation

06 February 2012

Law Society issues warning over HSBC mortgage documentation

Society publishes agenda-setting equality strategy

02 February 2012

Law Society published equality and diversity strategy 2011-14

Society pays tribute to former President John McNeil

27 January 2012

Society pays tribute to former President John McNeil

Society issues cloud computing guidance

16 January 2012

Society issues new cloud computing guidance

HSBC panel restriction represents penalty charge for borrowers

09 January 2012

HSBC panel restriction represents penalty charge for borrowers

Society informed of process for selection of new Lord President

22 December 2011

Society informed of process for selection of new Lord President

Society calls for consultation on court closure proposals

19 December 2011

Society calls for consultation on court closure proposals

Bruce Beveridge new Vice President elect

16 December 2011

Bruce Beveridge has been elected as Vice President elect of the Law Society of Scotland for 2012-13. He will take up the post in May.

Law Society responds to concerns over legal aid team

16 December 2011

Society responds to concern over legal aid team

Law Society rejects SLCC statements on the Guarantee Fund

16 December 2011

Society rejects SLCC statement on guarantee fund

Students on the write lines for reforming the law

14 December 2011

Students invited to enter essay competition on reforming the law

Winning pupils through to second round of Law Society debating tournament

09 December 2011

Pupils from all over Scotland are through to the second round of the Law Society of Scotland’s Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament.

Society voices concerns over contents of a UK Bill of Rights

07 December 2011

Society voices concerns over contents of a UK Bill of Rights

Pupils to debate privacy rights

29 November 2011

Debating tournament 2011 starts - pupils to debate privacy rights

Forced Marriage Laws

28 November 2011

Law Society says new forced marriage laws will help lead culture change

Three-way contest for vice president

25 November 2011

Three-way contest for vice president

Comment on postgraduate funding

24 November 2011

Comment on postgraduate funding

Decision on complaint against past president welcomed

23 November 2011

Law Society president Cameron Ritchie welcomes decision on complaint against past president Jamie MIllar

Society comment on Supreme Court judgement on waiving rights

23 November 2011

Society comment on the Supreme Court judgements on waiving rights to legal advice

Scottish Parliament Inquiry into reform of Parliamentary business

22 November 2011

Society gives evidence to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

President tours North East solicitor faculties

21 November 2011

Law Society president tours North East

Removal of corroboration raises grave concerns, warns Law Society

17 November 2011

Removal of corroboration raises grave concerns, warns Law Society

Law Society comment on Leslie Cumming, former Deputy Chief Executive

17 November 2011

Law Society comment on Leslie Cumming, former Deputy Chief Executive

Society comments on diploma funding

16 November 2011

Society comments on diploma funding

Former head teacher new convener of Law Society’s regulatory committee

10 November 2011

Former head teacher new convener of Law Society’s regulatory committee

Scots law good for international business IBA told in Dubai

04 November 2011

Scots law good for international business IBA told in Dubai

Society set to scrutinise Alcohol Bill

01 November 2011

Society set to scrutinise Alcohol Bill

In-house Lawyers look to the future

28 October 2011

In-house Lawyers look to the future

Evidence session before the Scotland Bill Committee

26 October 2011

The Law Society of Scotland gave oral evidence session before the Scotland Bill Committee on Tuesday, 25 October, at the Scottish Parliament.

Law Society reiterates its concerns over introduction of legal aid reforms

25 October 2011

Law Society reiterates its concerns over introduction of legal aid reforms

Vice president to meet Caithness solicitors

14 October 2011

Law Society of Scotland vice president, Austin Lafferty, is to visit Wick on Monday, 17 October to meet Caithness solicitors. The Society's vice president will highlight the organisation's plans for the future and its priorities for supporting its members, which are set out in its new strategy document ‘Towards 2020', at an event organised by the Caithness Faculty of solicitors.

Former US death row inmate to speak at Law Society charity event

12 October 2011

A former death row inmate from Louisiana in the USA is the key note speaker at a fundraising event hosted by the Society in partnership with legal charity Amicus on Thursday, 20 October.

Call for pupils to test their debating skills

11 October 2011

first call for debate teams and judges

Sons of Cadder rulings announced today

06 October 2011

Today’s rulings by the UK Supreme Court on the ‘Sons of Cadder’ cases, are a significant step in clarifying the rights of an accused in Scotland – says the Law Society of Scotland.

President kicks off faculties tour in Haddington

05 October 2011

President Cameron Ritchie visits southern faculties

Legal aid proposals require careful consideration

05 October 2011

Legal aid proposals require careful consideration

Law Society set to debate impact of forced marriage laws

30 September 2011

Lawyers, social workers and those working for women’s aid organisations are set to discuss the impact of new legislation outlawing forced marriage in Scotland at a Law Society of Scotland conference.

Agency Workers Regulations come into force on Saturday

30 September 2011

From this Saturday, 1 October, temporary agency staff will be entitled to the same pay and benefits as permanent staff, after 12 weeks of employment.

New rules on alcohol advertising come into force on Saturday

29 September 2011

New laws come into force this Saturday, 1 October 2011, which will ban “irresponsible promotions” in supermarkets and a ban on the advertising of alcohol promotions.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice to launch new LawWorks Scotland advice clinics

26 September 2011

Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill is to officially open legal charity LawWorks Scotland’s first advice clinic in Haddington on Monday, 26 September.

Solicitors vote to retain current PC fee level

23 September 2011

Solicitors voted to maintain the practising fee at the current level when they met today for the Law Society’s special general meeting in Edinburgh.

Members research part two

22 September 2011

Members research part two

Law Society president to meet Western Isles solicitors

21 September 2011

Law Society of Scotland president, Cameron Ritchie, is to meet with Western Isles solicitors when he flies into Stornoway on Wednesday, 21 September.

Public spending review

21 September 2011

Comment on public spending review

Society comment on SLAB annual report 2010-11

16 September 2011

The Law Society of Scotland released the following statement today following the publication of the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s annual report 2010-11.

Lord McCluskey’s Review Group publish final report

14 September 2011

The final report by Lord McCluskey’s Review Group examining the relationship between the High Court of Justiciary and the UK Supreme court in criminal cases has been published today, Wednesday 14 September.

Law Society Access to Justice Committee members confirmed

13 September 2011

The 10 members of the Law Society of Scotland’s access to justice committee have been confirmed.

Society welcomes Rights of Children and Young People Bill

08 September 2011

The Law Society of Scotland today, Thursday, 8 September, welcomed the publication of the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Rights of Children and Young People Bill, which aims to enshrine in law the duty on Scottish Ministers to recognise the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) when exercising its responsibilities.

Society comment on Bills in legislative programme

07 September 2011

Following the First Minister’s statement this afternoon, in which 15 new bills were announced for the legislative programme for the year ahead, the Law Society of Scotland has today emphasised that the need to ensure access to justice and delivering justice should be at the heart of any legislative reform.

Law Society of Scotland looks ahead to 2020

06 September 2011

The Law Society of Scotland has today published its new strategy for the decade ahead at its annual conference, ‘Law in Scotland – One Profession’.

Changes to traineeship

01 September 2011

Changes to traineeship

Society signs information sharing protocol with SCDEA

31 August 2011

Society and SCDEA sign information sharing protocol

New Legal Domains for Registered Paralegals

25 August 2011

two new legal domains launched for Registered Paralegals

In-House Lawyers debate invite

19 August 2011

In-House Lawyers debate invite

Modernisation of IP laws up for discussion at Festival

18 August 2011

The importance of intellectual property law to Scotland’s creative industries and the need for a robust protection system which is fit for the digital age will be at the heart of the Law Society of Scotland’s seminar at this year’s Festival of Politics, at which Pete Wishart MP will be speaking.

Roaming wild in Scotland – and staying on the right side of the law this summer

16 August 2011

Scots have traditionally had the attitude that the land is there to explore and people should be free to wander - as long as of course, they act responsibly and are aware of the need to respect others, including local wildlife and livestock.

Home alone and child baby-sitters – what the law says

09 August 2011

With the school holidays upon us, parents might consider leaving children home alone or with a child baby-sitter. But they should be aware that the law does not provide a “bright line rule” on when it is acceptable to do so.

Society seeks urgent talks with Santander

08 August 2011

The Law Society of Scotland is seeking urgent talks with Santander following the bank's introduction of a compliance fee, which the Society believes is an unnecessary cost burden on solicitors and their clients.

Career Changes

05 August 2011

The Law Society of Scotland is planning a careers event for people interested in studying law and entering the legal profession this October.

Society welcomes planned improvements to police station duty scheme

04 August 2011

The Law Society of Scotland has welcomed a commitment from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to make changes aimed at significantly improving the police station duty scheme.

Paralegals invited to join Society's Registered Paralegal scheme

03 August 2011

Stage 3 of the Registered Paralegals scheme goes live on 15 August which allows all paralegals to apply for registered status.

ABA Section of International Law Meeting

26 July 2011

International legal issues and ethics will be among the topics up for discussion at the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of International Law Meeting in Dublin this October.

Plan ahead for a stress-free break in the sun

22 July 2011

With the rise of cheaper of air travel there are more independent travellers that ever, however even if you’ve not booked a package holiday which gives you automatic cover if your holiday company or airlines goes bust, there are still options available.

Employers without a social media plan for staff could be open to risks

18 July 2011

Social media provides many businesses with the means to instantly connect with customers; never has it been easier to share, monitor and communicate information , but social media in the workplace does also come with issues and those employers who do not have a social media policy in place, could be leaving themselves open to risks