Reflecting on change - the Society at 75

As we mark the Law Society of Scotland’s 75th anniversary, our Member Engagement Manager, Sara Czarny, reflects on the enormous changes of the past few years and shares the big ticket issues that will shape the future of the profession.

When I began to think about setting the scene for our 75th anniversary and changes which affected the profession in recent years, there really was only one place to start – the pandemic.

Vast change, adaptation to new ways of working and quick thinking took up the best part of the time we spent as  a nation during lockdown. While we might have found ourselves longing for stability during those testing times, there is no doubt that the profession adapted swiftly. Who would have predicted that ‘WFH’ would be the acronym we would all become so familiar with, as remote working, once the “privilege” of the few, became the norm.

Whether you were making changes to office arrangements, looking after colleagues who were going through trying times or just trying to muddle through the day-to-day job, we saw changes take place during COVID-19 that have fundamentally changed the dynamic of the legal sector.

Virtual hearings, remote working, and online client meetings became essential and for us here at the Law Society, all hands were on deck to make sure the profession were kept up-to-date and informed.

My colleagues, committee members and volunteers put in a huge amount of work to mitigate the difficulties facing members. In our Member Engagement team, my predecessors ensured the profession had a touch point as we moved the president’s visits online – and then President, Ken Dalling, did a remarkable job in ‘visiting’ every constituency remotely during his tenure – held remote Faculty Leader Forums, and ensured our membership had a visible and approachable point of contact at the Society.

This sense of community has shaped recent years and although fraught with uncertainty at the time and fast-paced change, the profession lived up to its renowned collegiality by coming  together to help each other in its time of need.  

A key part of the Society’s work during the pandemic was our focus on wellbeing.

Working in the law is a demanding job and even more so during a time of significant change. We launched Lawscot Wellbeing as a dedicated online resource in 2018, but it came into its own during lockdown as a source of information to help support our members and those working within the industry to look after and prioritise their mental wellbeing. On launching the resource we said “while it’s important that the legal system keeps functioning, the health of those that work within it is critical”. That continues to be true, and as we think about retaining colleagues or attracting new talent, wellbeing will be at the centre of those issues.

Now, if someone asked me ‘What would you hope to see change in the next 75 years’, improving our work processes, looking after our wellbeing and access to justice would be at the top of that list.

There is of course change ahead for the Society and our members, not least in the form of two Bills currently going through the Scottish Parliament - the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill or the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill.

However, there are also the fundamental ways in which we go about our work, which technology will be at the heart of. Most people will think of Artificial Intelligence, and rightly so, however technology is indispensable in all aspects of our lives and has a crucial part to play in increasing efficiency and productivity, improving client communication and service, enhancing security (cybersecurity being more important than ever) and integrating changing legal tech into every day practice is essential and in the long term, benefits everyone.

We’ve heard from solicitors across the country in our Lawscot Member Forums about firms facing issues with recruitment and retention, and undeniably technology has its part to play in that. Our younger workforce is used to technology, both at home and in the classroom, and if we don’t make improvements to our work processes, we risk slipping behind our counterparts.

In the same vein, new talent coming through the profession are more aware of the impact of climate change and how this could detrimentally affect their future. Sustainability is a major priority the Law Society going forward.

We want to guide practices, businesses, organisations and the individuals at the heart of them towards more sustainable practices and reinforce the legal sector’s crucial role in achieving that. Environmental laws are developing at a rapid pace and the profession will not only need to advise clients on the risks and reputational damage of not complying, but also their own firms and organisations  will need to be aware of these too. We’re already seeing firms setting ambitious goals and CSR strategies when it comes to sustainability and with the societal shift towards protecting the planet, our future generation of lawyers are choosing to work for firms that fit with their ethics.

So, whether we are looking back to before the pandemic or looking to the topics which are sure to shape the future, our 75th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the dedication and resilience of our legal community.

As we mark this milestone, we also look forward with optimism and determination to continue advancing the cause of justice and upholding the values that have defined us.