Scottish Law Agents

The Scottish Law Agents Society is the solicitor profession’s solely representative national body. Unlike the Law Society of Scotland we are a voluntary organisation and a Royal Charter company. We are not a creature of statute and we do not possess the conflict of interest that will always bedevil any organisation that has a duty to both regulate and represent its members. Since the publication of the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill 2023 it is more important than ever for our profession to have a truly independent representative, and our Society is much longer established than the LSS in meeting that need. 

Our Society is a national body and concerned with issues that affect solicitors across Scotland. We always endeavor to be distinct and independent from the LSS in how we approach these matters. In addition, we are always keen to know about issues that arise in particular localities, such as delays in the processing of business in a specific sheriff court. Anyone with issues to raise is encouraged to contact the Secretary or a Council member.

In November 2021 we submitted Responses to Consultations by the Scottish Government and by the Scottish Civil Justice Council on making permanent various changes to the justice system that we all supposed would be temporary measures designed to enable business to carry on despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 lockdown. These were meant to be a response to an emergency. Little did we suspect that there would be pressure to move litigation online on an industrial scale, to the diminution of the quality of justice in Scotland. WebEx is no substitute for the real experience of human interaction in a physical space.

Regulation of the profession is a never-ending process of reviews, consultations, and the production of reviews that are always said to be “independent”. The threat to our independence is ever present. We have responded in writing to the 2023 Bill and are due to give evidence to the Scottish Parliament.

See “News and Events” for further news items.

Our GDPR Privacy Policy was updated in January 2021 and anyone who provides us with personal data may request a copy. We will be happy to send this