Your chance to join the Scottish Young Lawyers' Association committee and shape the future of legal practice

The SYLA 2025 AGM will take place on 29th October 2025. At the AGM, the 2024/2025 President, Patricia Taylor, will present a brief overview of activities undertaken in the previous term, the 2024/2025 Treasurer, Caitlin Bell, will present our annual accounts, and the SYLA will elect a new Committee for 2025/2026.

Overview of the SYLA

The Scottish Young Lawyers’ Association is a not-for-profit membership organisation which seeks to educate, represent and entertain Scotland’s cohort of junior solicitors. It currently boasts over 5,000 members; of those at student level to up to 10 years PQE / advocates of up to 10 years’ called.

Anyone who currently sits within the SYLA membership demographic, can apply to become a member of the SYLA Committee. Successful applicants will sit on the Committee from the date of the 2025 AGM (October 2025) until the 2026 AGM (October 2026).

Joining the SYLA Committee is an excellent opportunity to work with likeminded individuals to effect positive change within the Scottish legal profession, and to service its junior members. In the past 2 years alone, the SYLA has delivered over 100 events and engagement opportunities. For recent examples of the SYLA’s education, social and representation work, please visit our Instagram page (@scottishyounglawyers). We regularly work with the Society of Solicitors of the Supreme Court, the Faculty of Advocates, law firms, and eminent practitioners.

Commitment - All committee members

The SYLA is looking for driven, self-motivating, and passionate individuals to join its Committee. Although this is a voluntary position, and Committee members are encouraged to only take on as much as their capacity permits, we consider it useful to outline some minimum expectations:-

Committee members:

• Will attend monthly Committee meetings (virtually or in person);
• Will attend an annual Planning Meeting (to be hosted in November 2025) at which the Committee will strategise for the year ahead. In the event that the President / Executive Committee consider it necessary, a second Planning Meeting may be held 6 months into the term;
• Undertake to collaborate on or individually contribute to the SYLA meeting its objectives of educating, entertaining and representing SYLA’s cohort of junior practitioners. This may be through the organisation of events, hosting podcast sessions, or commentating on important social / representation related issues which affect our members. Committee members are expected to contribute to at least 2 initiatives throughout the term;
• Represent the SYLA Committee within the Scottish legal profession. As such, SYLA Committee Members undertake to assist in raising the organisation’s profile, publishing events, and generally promoting the SYLA throughout Scotland.

Committee vacancies

• President (available to committee members who have sat on the Committee for > 1 year);
• Vice President;
• 2 x Secretary;
• 2 x Treasurer;
• Social Media Manager
• 10 x Non-Executive Committee Members.

Executive committee

Past President

The Past President shall remain a member of the Committee for the term subsequent to their Presidency.

President

The SYLA shall elect one President to preside over each term.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Representing the SYLA via engagement with key stakeholders e.g. Regulators.
• Guiding and supporting the Committee through its endeavours;
• Setting the overall strategy for the term;
• Contributing to executive level decisions (and exercising primary decision-making function if necessary);
• Chairing Planning and Monthly Meetings;
• Coordination of funding applications alongside Treasurer; and
• Creation and coordination of engagement initiatives (e.g. events) and supporting the committee in delivering on the SYLA’s objectives.

Vice President

The SYLA membership shall elect one Vice President in each SYLA term.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Representing the SYLA via engagement with key stakeholders;
• Supporting the President in managing the Committee;
• Contributing to executive level decisions;
• Creation and coordination of engagement initiatives (e.g. events) and supporting the committee in delivering on the SYLA’s objectives.

Secretary (x2)

The SYLA membership shall elect two Secretaries in each SYLA term.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Representing the SYLA via engagement with key stakeholders;
• Management of SYLA inbox, including delegation of emails to committee members;
• Scheduling Planning and Monthly Meetings;
• Minuting Planning and Monthly Meetings;
• Coordination of Court Pilot Links;
• Contributing to executive level decisions;
• Working with Co-Secretary to ensure sufficient cover for duties;
• Organising AGM alongside President;
• Creation and coordination of engagement initiatives (e.g. events) and supporting the committee in delivering on the SYLA’s objectives.

Treasurer (x2)

The SYLA membership shall elect two Treasurers in each SYLA term.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Representing the SYLA via engagement with key stakeholders;
• Exercising all Treasurer functions:
• Coordination of funding applications alongside President;
• Management of SYLA Bank Account;
• Raising invoices;
• Strategizing and coordinating sponsorship opportunities.
• Working with Co-Treasurer to ensure sufficient cover for duties;
• Creation and coordination of engagement initiatives (e.g. events) and supporting the committee in delivering on the SYLA’s objectives.

Social Media Manager

The SYLA membership shall elect one Social Media Manager in each SYLA term.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Representing the SYLA via engagement with key stakeholders;
• Exercising functions of Social Media Manager:
• Development / maintenance of social media strategy / SYLA brand;
• Coordinating Instagram and LinkedIn posts.
• Creation and coordination of engagement initiatives (e.g. events) and supporting the committee in delivering on the SYLA’s objectives.

Non-executive committee

The SYLA membership elect 10 Non-Executive Committee members in each SYLA term.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Representing the SYLA within the Scottish legal market;
• Creation and coordination of engagement initiatives (e.g. events) and supporting the committee in delivering on the SYLA’s objectives.

How to apply

All applications should be submitted by close of business (5pm) on Monday 27th October 2025.

For Non-Executive Roles:

• Prepare a short blurb of no more than 150 words detailing: who you are, where you work, stage of career, what your ambitions are for the next SYLA term; and
• Prepare a 1 minute video (maximum) answering the question "what do you believe could be improved in the legal industry?".
• Send both the blurb and video to mail@syla.co.uk with subject heading 'SYLA AGM - Non-Executive Role'

For Executive Roles:

• Send a short blurb of no more than 150 words detailing: who you are, where you work, stage of career, what your ambitions are for the next SYLA term; and
• Prepare a 2 minute video (maximum) answering the question "what do you believe could be improved in the legal industry?".
• Send both the blurb and video to mail@syla.co.uk with subject heading 'SYLA AGM - Executive Role'

All members attending at the AGM will review the blurbs, watch the videos and then vote in the new Committee for 2025/2026. The applicant(s) with the most votes will be elected to the Committee. Applicants and attendees can join the AGM online or in person.