President'a column

When I became President in June this year, I made a commitment to getting out to meet solicitors the length and breadth of the country and to visit as many faculties as possible in person over my presidency. In recent weeks I’ve travelled north, south, east and west, talking to our members in Ayr, Dingwall, Elgin, Greenock, Inverness, Kilmarnock, and by the time you read this, I will have been to Aberdeen and Peterhead.

It is quite simply one of the best things about the role – meeting solicitors across the country and having the opportunity to learn more about any particular concerns they have and share more about the work we are doing at the Society. While some of the issues facing the profession are among the most critical we have ever experienced as a profession, it remains a huge pleasure to meet practitioners and to understand that so many of us have common concerns and we can work together to share ideas and look to finding practical solutions.

Shared concerns

There are a number of themes which have emerged from our discussions. Recruitment and succession planning for firms has been a recurring topic, particularly in more rural constituency areas; and gaps in legal services provision in some areas of the country, conveyancing issues, the continuing difficulties around legal aid, and how the courts operate in a post-pandemic world have all been raised at our meetings. Our discussions have also touched on wellbeing in the profession – an increasingly important focus for our members – and what the Society can do to help provide support through our Lawscot Wellbeing initiative.

It demonstrates to me that we are a united profession and remain connected despite any geographical differences or distance.

We are planning the next series of visits for early spring next year – I’m looking forward to seeing more of you over the next six months. Please do get in touch if you are keen to arrange a visit next year or have any questions for us (memberservices@lawscot.org.uk).

On the international front

There has been an international flavour to our work recently. Last month the Society’s Vice President Sheila Webster signed a memorandum of understanding with the New York State Bar Association, strengthening our existing links, opening opportunities for exchanging best practice and highlighting the universality of our work as lawyers.

I recently attended the screening of a film, Bucha – There Shall be No Forgiveness, hosted by the Consul General of Poland in Edinburgh, the acting Consul of Ukraine in Edinburgh, and the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, who has special responsibility for refugees from Ukraine. While it was highly distressing to watch this documentary on the atrocities in Ukraine following the Russian invasion, it demonstrates the importance of the international community in condemning them and uniting to support the prosecution of those responsible so that they are held accountable in a court of law.

Thank you, Christine

I have done this in person, but will do so within these pages too and say thank you to Christine McLintock, who stepped down from Council after 17 years. Christine, a former Society President, has made an outstanding contribution in that time and leaves a hugely important legacy in the form of the Lawscot Foundation, the Society’s charity which supports talented students from less privileged backgrounds through their legal studies at university.

We are once again holding our annual Lawscot Foundation fundraiser Baublefest to raise funds for these young people who I know will be a real asset to our profession. Please do consider buying a bauble – in person at the Society’s office or online at lawscotfoundation.org.uk/donate – to contribute to the fantastic work of the Foundation and the young people it supports.

I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas, a peaceful New Year and best wishes for 2023.