Law Society news
Nominations open for In-house Rising Star Award 2020
Nominations for this year's In-house Rising Star Award are now open! The award recognises the outstanding achievement of a newly qualified Scottish solicitor or trainee working in-house so let us know about your in-house rising stars of 2020.
Virtual custody courts pilot raises concerns among solicitors
The findings from a recent survey carried out by the Society on pilot virtual custody court hearings has highlighted significant issues faced by solicitors and their clients.
Lack of clarity in Hate Crime Bill could threaten freedom of expression
Plans to modernise hate crime laws in Scotland present a unique opportunity to enhance protections for those most vulnerable to prejudice in our society, however the Society has said flaws within the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill could prevent it from achieving its stated goals.
Fraudulent OPBAS email
We have been informed that members of the public have recently received emails fraudulently claiming to be from OPBAS.
Taxation by teleconferencing
The Law Society’s Civil Working Group, following discussions with Scottish Courts and Tribunal Services (SCTS), has received confirmation that the Auditor of the Court of Session and the All Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court (ASSPIC) will now conduct taxations of judicial accounts by way of tele-conference.
Law Society President congratulates new Dean of the Faculty of Advocates
Law Society President Amanda Millar congratulates the new Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, Roddy Dunlop QC
LBTT threshold increase needs to happen sooner rather than later
We are calling on the Scottish Government to prioritise implementation of the increased threshold for Land and Building Transaction Tax for residential property transactions.
Simple procedure claims can be submitted online and in paper
After discusions with the Law Society, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service have confirmed that simple procedure claims can still be submitted by both paper and online.
Criminal law and legal aid round-up July 2020
A round-up of activity undertaken by the Criminal Law and Legal Aid Committees in response to the coronavirus outbreak so far, as well as a look ahead to what challenges they are focussing on next.
Revenue Scotland update allows online ADS reclaim
Revenue Scotland has introduced new functionality to the Scottish Electronic Tax System (SETS) that allows taxpayers to claim repayment of Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) entirely online.
Public policy highlights
Our policy committees have had a busy month analysing and responding to proposed changes in the law to positively influence the creation of a fairer and more just society.
Client communication plan wins this year’s Innovation Cup
Great client communications can help strengthen solicitor-client relationships and minimise complaints. That’s the idea behind this year’s Innovation Cup winning entry.
Urgent update on simple procedure cases
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service has confirmed that simple procedure action submitted on or after 1 June 2020 must be submitted via the Civil Online plaform. The Convener of our Civil Justice Committee has written to ask for a review of this decision.
Scottish Government guidance on moving home
The Scottish Government has issued guidance aimed at ensuring that moving home in Scotland can happen safely during the coronavirus outbreak.
Law Society comment on the Lord President's statement on the impact of Covid-19 on the justice system
Amanda Millar, President of the Law Society of Scotland, comments on the Lord President, Lord Carloway’s statement of Friday 19 June 2020.
Interim agreement supporting case progess in C19
Experienced Personal Injury practitioners have been working together to produce a ‘ways of working’ agreement to support progress in cases which might otherwise be stalled as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
AML Roundup June 2020
It is particularly important in these difficult times, that we maintain a clear focus on our AML measures and requirements and with that in mind, we wanted to bring you a round up of AML news and events.
Legal role models campaign launched for schools
The Law Society of Scotland has launched a school campaign to challenge students’ views of a typical solicitor and highlight the diverse backgrounds of people entering the law.
Peebles High pupils win Dewar Debate final
Two pupils from Peebles High School have won the grand final of this year’s national Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament.
Law Society announces strategic partnership with Mitigo cybersecurity
The Society has announced a new strategic partnership with Mitigo to boost cyber security and resilience for law firms.
Prospective students and universities warned of challenging times ahead for traineeships
With a record high number of students applying for the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice this year, the Law Society has written to accredited providers and provided guidance to prospective students about the difficulties there may be in finding a traineeship next summer.
Unified tribunal essential in creating a person-centred approach to mental health law
The creation of a new, unified tribunal empowered to look at a full range of remedies under mental health law would enable individuals’ cases to be dealt with in a prompt, holistic and person-centred way.
New action plan aims to tackle mental health stigma
We have launched a three-year action plan that aims to tackle stigma around mental health in the legal sector. The new action plan follows a major survey of Scotland’s legal profession last year on their views of mental health in the workplace.
Fraud alert - intercepted emails to divert payments
As the Scottish legal profession concentrates efforts on protecting themselves, their colleagues, clients and businesses from the unprecedented challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, fraudsters are making the most of the disruption.