Annual report 2025

The Society continued to be a strong voice for the profession and the public, not least in relation to the proposals to reform the way legal services are regulated in Scotland and in speaking up for the rule of law and the independence of the legal profession both here at home and internationally.

Many years of effort culminated with the passing of the Regulation of Legal Services Bill in May 2025. The new Act, while bringing significant reform, means the Law Society will continue as the independent regulator of Scottish solicitors, gaining new powers to act in the public interest, from regulating legal business as well as individuals, along with increased powers of suspension and the ability to streamline and speed up complaints processes.

Legal aid remains especially close to my heart. Having practised in this area and been involved with the Society’s Legal Aid Committee for many years, I have seen first-hand the consequences of long-term underinvestment.

The serious decline in legal aid will not be reversed overnight but during 2024/25 we saw encouraging signs of progress with a commitment to a fee rise in 2026 and the creation of the Legal Aid Fee Mechanism Review Group through which we will seek to end the lack of regular reviews of funding for such an important resource for the Scottish public. The Society’s high-profile Legal Aid Matters campaign last year also helped to bring much-needed public and political attention to the scale and urgency needed to address the issue.

Access to justice is fundamental to a fair and democratic society, and we continued to press for the change required to ensure that everyone can secure legal help when they need it, regardless of their background or circumstances. 

We also saw major reforms to Scotland’s criminal law, including the seismic decision of the Scottish Parliament to abolish the not proven verdict. While we had argued against removal of the verdict, we remained supportive of the numerous other measures to be introduced, including further embedding trauma informed practice in the legal sector

There has been a welcome focus on bringing forward the significant reforms within the legal and justice sector, however it’s important that we continue to recognise the very real pressures on solicitors who as part of their role often undertake challenging work to support their clients.

It’s why the Society has made wellbeing within the profession a central part of its work, introducing initiatives designed to promote wellbeing and support our members. New technologies and use of AI are in growing use, and while there is rightly some caution on just how we incorporate them into our practice, we must consider their potential to improve how we work and what we can offer, alongside assessment of the risks posed.

One of the greatest privileges of my year in office has been meeting members across the country, whether long-established practitioners to those just beginning their careers, whether working in-house or in private practice at firms large and small.  I have seen that Scottish solicitors form part of a collegiate profession, bound by our shared professional values and committed to the rule of law and to helping people uphold their rights.

Welcoming hundreds of new solicitors into the profession has also been a particular highlight and a reminder that, for all the challenges we face, we have such a wealth of talent in this next generation of solicitors, and I am positive about the future of the profession.

None of the progress described in this report would be possible without the dedication and hard work of the Law Society staff team, my colleagues on Council and our committee members who bring so much knowledge and experience to the work of the Society.

It has been a tremendous privilege and honour for me to lead this organisation and my profession as Law Society of Scotland President during such a time of change, and I am enormously grateful for all support and encouragement I have received from so many during my time in office.

I would like to offer particular thanks to Kevin Lang, who stepped in as Acting Chief Executive in March last year, to Ben Kemp, who has brought so much energy and wisdom to the role since joining us as Chief Executive in August 2025, and to my fellow office bearers Susan Murray, Past President, and Serena Sutherland, Vice President who were so generous in offering their support and wise counsel over the past 12 months.

Patricia Thom
President

Supporting our members to thrive remains at the heart of everything we do. Across the year, we have continued to focus on providing services, guidance and practical support that help solicitors in their day-to-day practice throughout their career, from high-quality training opportunities to guides on cyber security, AI and new technologies, while also promoting wellbeing and inclusion within the profession through a range of initiatives and outreach work.

We have remained firmly committed to modern and effective regulation, recognising the importance of maintaining high professional standards and public trust in Scottish solicitors. 2025 saw the culmination of a decade of effort, with the passing of the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act, which will better protect legal services consumers and benefit the legal sector. The new legislation modernises and significantly updates Scotland’s system of legal service regulation and should when implemented, enable more effective, targeted and efficient regulation, protecting the public and the reputation of the profession, delivering clearer accountability, and faster, but fair, resolution if and when things do go wrong. 

Alongside this, we have sought to be an influential voice on the issues that matter most, speaking up for the rule of law during uncertain times as well as highlighting the importance of maintaining the independence of the profession and improving access to justice. These are fundamental to our profession as well as wider society, and we will continue to be an outspoken champion on the need to protect people’s rights and ensure that they can access legal advice and support, regardless of their background or financial situation.

Just as importantly, we are focused on leading the profession on key issues such as sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion, including social mobility to ensure that we have a Scottish solicitor profession that reflects the communities we serve. This year we celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the important work and contribution of the LawScot Foundation, which has now helped over 100 aspiring lawyers to overcome socio-economic barriers to legal education.

Looking to our internal operations, we continue to drive innovation and efficiency to improve our IT systems and operational processes to make sure that, as your professional body, we are equipped to respond to the changing needs of the profession and the wider environment in which it operates.

 This report highlights the breadth of work undertaken across each of our five workstreams, none of which would be possible without the solicitors and lay members who generously give their time and expertise in support of the Society’s work, or without the professionalism and dedication of my colleagues at the Society.

It has been an enormous privilege to work with colleagues, members and stakeholders across the legal sector during my first months in post  and I look forward to working together to develop our next strategy for 2027+, to ensure that we remain strongly positioned and focused to support our profession, addressing critical challenges and in making the most of the significant opportunities in an ever more dynamic external environment.

Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss our work at the Society.

Ben Kemp
Chief Executive
[email protected]