Professional briefing - The Journal Online

President
Speaking of change...
President
Ruthven
Gemmell
Make the most of the opportunities to keep abreast of change, and
to have your say on the issues at stake, through the Society’s AGM
and Annual Conference, both of which fall early next month
The countdown to the Society’s
Annual Conference is well under way.
As President, I welcome the
opportunity to meet so many
members of the profession at a single
event. The 2007 conference focuses
on conveyancing, trusts, employment
law and family law and, like so much
else in the legal profession, these
areas of law have undergone or are
about to see considerable change. The
wide-ranging sessions on offer will
help to update practitioners on these
subjects, and allow them to gain CPD
hours in the process. For those still
unaware, it takes place at the
Edinburgh International Conference
Centre on 2 March. I would urge
anyone who wants to attend and has
yet to sign up to do so.
A week later (9 March), the Society
stages its Annual General Meeting at
the Royal Museum of Scotland in
Edinburgh. This will include
comment on the Legal Profession and
Legal Aid (Scotland) Act and also
consider the Legal Services Bill which
is currently in the House of Lords
before progressing to the House of
Commons.
Next steps
The Legal Profession and Legal Aid
(Scotland) Act 2007 received Royal
Assent on 19 January and a meeting
took place the following week with
the Deputy Justice Minister and her
civil servants to discuss the
implementation process. A number
of initiatives are planned to explain
the provisions of the Act and this
process to the profession.
We are taking an active interest in
the progress of the Legal Services Bill
as, although it relates principally to
England and Wales, the proposed
alternative business structures may
have cross-border effects for all firms.
The Society is keen to ensure that
attention is paid to the Scottish legal
system and that research is carried out
into the impact of the new structures.
Although not currently addressed by
the Scottish Parliament, it would be
unwise not to recognise the impact of
externally financed and non-lawyer
owned firms entering the Scottish
market place or competing with
Scottish firms.
Education and training too
The Society’s extensive consultation
on education and training is due to
be debated at the AGM. The
consultation closes in mid-February,
as this edition of the Journal is
published. However, it is
worthwhile reflecting on what has
been an instructive project. There
has been a good level of response
from a wide range of members of
the profession and others. The input
has been well informed and the
time contributors have taken to
share their views is much
appreciated. An analysis of the
responses will follow.
Another successful initiative is the
Donald Dewar Memorial Debating
Tournament which, yet again, has
attracted a large number of schools
from across the country. This year the
competition commemorates the
300th anniversary of the union of the
parliaments of Scotland and England,
with motions and venues to reflect
that theme. Earlier this month 62
teams competed in the stage 2 heats,
with only 16 winners going through
to the regional finals, which start in
March. Last year’s teams set
exceptionally high standards but the
quality of debate so far suggests that
we can expect another keenly
contested tournament. Good luck to
all those involved.
Calling London
I was very pleased to be asked to
attend one of the largest organised
Burns Suppers in the United
Kingdom, by the Society of Scottish
Lawyers in London.
London has, outwith Edinburgh
and Glasgow, the largest
concentration of Scottish solicitors,
and a growing number of Scottish
firms actively work in London or have
offices there. As their numbers
increase, so the Society will be
looking to see how best to
communicate with this group.
It would be unwise not to recognise
the impact of externally financed
and non-lawyer owned firms
February 07 theJournal / 7