General meetings

The 75th Annual General Meeting of the Law Society of Scotland will be held as a virtual meeting by telephone and video conference on Thursday 27 June 2024 at 5.30pm.

If you wish to attend the AGM please email us at agm@lawscot.org.uk marking your email as 'AGM 2024 Registration' in the subject line. Those registered to attend will receive meeting joining instructions via email before the meeting.

Agenda and order of formal business

1. Approval of the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 29 June 2023.
2. The President’s Address
3. The Past President's review of 2022/23.
4. The adoption of the reports from the Finance Sub Committee Convener; the Audit Committee Convener; and the Client Protection Fund Committee for 2022/23.
5. Chief Executive’s Report. Presentation by the Chief Executive on the Society’s current operating performance.
6. Resolution 1: the approval of the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Society for the year ending 31 October 2023.
7. Resolution 2: the re-appointment of the auditors (BDO) to the Society.
8. Resolution 3: the approval of the Practising Certificate fee for 2024/25. That, as from 1 November 2024, the Annual Subscription payable by each member of the Society holding a Practising Certificate for 2024/25 will be £788.00
9. Resolution 4: Approval of the proposed member resolution on Alternative Business Structures (ABS)
10. Resolution 5: Approval of the amendment to the proposed resolution on ABS.

You can read our background information paper for Resolution 3 on the Practising Certificate fee 2024/25.

Proposing amendments to the AGM resolutions

Any amendments to these resolutions must be received by Laura Crocker, Council Secretary, by 12 noon on Friday, 14 June 2024. Please email councilsec@lawscot.org.uk, with 'AGM 2024 Amendments' in the subject line.

AGM voting

Our constitution allows voting on any matter in advance of the AGM except for any amendments to the Society’s constitution. Online voting for AGM resolutions 1,2, 3, 4 and 5 will open on Tuesday, 18 June 2024 and close at noon on Tuesday, 25 June 2024. We will email you directly when the voting opens. Please log into the members' area of the website to cast your vote.

The 74th Annual General Meeting of the Law Society of Scotland will be held as a virtual meeting by telephone and video conference on 29 June 2023 at 5.30pm.

If you wish to attend the AGM please email us at member.registration@lawscot.org.uk, marking your email as 'AGM 2023 Registration' in the subject line. Those registered to attend will receive meeting joining instructions before the meeting,

The AGM will open with a welcome to the Law Society's two new Honorary Members Michael Samuel and Peter Nicholson.

Agenda and order of formal business

1. Approval of the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 26 May 2022 and the Special General Meeting on 21 October 2022.
2. The President’s Address
3. The Past President's review of 2021/22
4. The adoption of the reports from the Treasurer; the Audit Committee Convener; and the Client Protection Fund Committee for 2021/22.
5. Chief Executive’s Report. Presentation by the Chief Executive on the Society’s current operating performance.
6. Resolution 1: the approval of the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Society for the year ending 31 October 2022
7. Resolution 2: the re-appointment of the auditors (BDO) to the Society
8. Resolution 3: the approval of the Practising Certificate fee for 2023/24. That, as from 1 November 2023, the Annual Subscription payable by each member of the Society holding a Practising Certificate for 2023/24 will be £731.25.
9. Resolution 4: the approval of an amendment to the Constitution to accommodate mutual tax status

You can read our background information paper for Resolution 3 on the Practising Certificate fee 2023/24.

Proposing amendments to the AGM resolutions

Any amendments to these resolutions must be received by Laura Crocker, Council Secretary, by 12 noon on Monday, 12 June 2023. Please email councilsec@lawscot.org.uk, with 'AGM 2023 Amendments' in the subject line.

AGM voting

Our constitution now allows voting on any matter in advance of the AGM except for any amendments to the Society’s constitution. Online voting for AGM resolutions 1,2 and 3, will open at noon on Tuesday, 20 June 2023 and close at noon on Tuesday, 27 June 2023. We will email you directly when the voting opens. Please log into the members' area of the website to cast your vote.

Resolution 4 relates to the Society’s Constitution and there will therefore be a poll vote at the meeting.

Members can also vote for resolution 4 by proxy. Please use the proxy form available on our website. This must be returned to councilsec@lawscot.org.uk, marked as 'AGM 2023 Proxy', no later than 5:30pm on Tuesday, 27 June 2023. Advance voting is not permitted with respect to the constitutional amendment.

Our Special General Meeting 2022 will be held via audio and video conference on Wednesday, 26 October 2022 at 5.30pm. 

If you wish to attend the meeting you must register in advance. Please email us at member.registration@lawscot.org.uk by 12 noon, Friday 21 October. There will be no in-person meeting and only those who register will receive joining instructions for the meeting.

Order of formal business

The full  SGM agenda is available to read.

The draft Amendment Rules 2022 will be presented to the meeting for discussion. The draft Amendment Rules include:

Rule B1.17 Standards of Conduct

The purpose of this proposed new rule is to clarify and emphasise that solicitors have duties in relation to the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, including a duty to comply with statutory notices issued under the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007, and should be co-operating with the SLCC, so as to allow the SLCC properly to exercise their functions under that 2007 Act.

Read the proposed amendment

Changes to Accounts Rules

The proposed changes aim to modernise the 2011 rules, address identified weaknesses and where possible, simplify requirements placed on members while ensuring continued high professional standards and robust protection for the public. The proposals include the introduction of an ability to set assessments for cashroom managers regarding their knowledge of the accounts rules and additional requirements on the management of client accounts. 

Read the proposed Accounts Rules amendments

Proposing amendments

James Ness, Head of Member Registration & Business Intelligence must receive proposed amendments to the proposed draft Amendment Rules 2022 by email, no later than 12 noon on Thursday, 12 October. Please email jamesness@lawscot.org.uk

Voting in advance of the meeting

The constitution allows voting on any matter in advance of the SGM except for any amendments to the Society’s constitution. No vote is scheduled for this SGM.

If amendments are proposed by members to the draft rules, such amendments will be open to a vote at the SGM. Online voting for any amendments proposed to the proposed draft Amendment Rules 2022 will open from12 noon on Tuesday, 18 October until 12 noon Tuesday 25 October. You will receive an email from us when the voting opens.

The 73rd Annual General Meeting of the Law Society of Scotland will be held as a virtual meeting by telephone and video conference on Thursday, 26 May 2022 at 5.30pm. 

If you wish to attend the AGM you need to register in advance. To do so, please email us at  member.registration@lawscot.org.uk by Friday 20 May 12 noon. Those registered to attend will receive meeting joining instructions before the meeting,

Any additional supporting documents will be added as soon as they become available prior to the AGM.

Order of formal business

1. Approval of the Minute of the Annual General Meeting held on 27 May 2021.
2. The President’s Address.
3. The adoption of the reports from the Treasurer; the Client Protection Fund Convener; the Audit Committee Convener; and the Lawscot Foundation Board of Trustees for 2020/21.
4. Chief Executive’s Report. Presentation by the Chief Executive on the Society’s current operating performance.
5. Resolution number 1 - The approval of the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Society and the Client Protection Fund for 2020/21.
6. Resolution number 2 - The appointment of the Auditors to the Society and the Client Protection Fund for 2021/22.
7. Resolution number 3 – Practising Certificate fee for 2022/23 “That, as from 1 November 2022, the Annual Subscription payable by each member of the Society holding a Practising Certificate will be £585.00”.

You can read the full AGM 2022 agenda here. The annual reports and accounts will be made available on our website

Our constitution now allows voting on any matter in advance of the AGM except for any amendments to the Society’s constitution. Online voting for the three resolutions will open at 12 noon on Tuesday 17 May and run until 12 noon Tuesday 24 May. Please log into the members' area of the website to cast your vote.

Agenda for the 72nd Annual General Meeting of the Law Society of Scotland to be held as a virtual meeting by telephone and video conference on Thursday, 27 May 2021 at 5.30pm. 

Anyone wishing to attend the AGM will be required to register in advance. To do so, please email registrar@lawscot.org.uk by Friday 21 May 12 noon. Only by registering will you receive the audio and video call details.

Any missing papers below will be added as soon as they become available and before the date of the AGM. 

Order of formal business

The meeting will begin with a presentation of Honorary Membership for 2021 to Colin Cameron, Irvine, former solicitor

1.  Approval of the Minute of the Annual General Meeting held on 28 May 2020
2. The President’s Address
3. The adoption of the reports from the Treasurer; the Client Protection Fund Convener; the Audit Committee Convener; the Lawscot Foundation Board of Trustees and the Convener of the Scottish Solicitors’ Benevolent Fund (SSBF) (not yet available) for 2019/20.
4. Chief Executive’s Report - Presentation by the Chief Executive on the Society’s current operating performance
5. Resolution number 1 - The approval of the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Society and the Client Protection Fund for 2019/20. 
6. Resolution number 2 - The appointment of the Auditors to the Society and the Client Protection Fund for 2020/21
7. Resolution number 3 – Practising Certificate fee for 2021/22: “That, as from 1 November 2021, the Annual Subscription payable by each member of the Society holding a Practising Certificate will be £517.50"
8. Amendments to the Constitution – Resolution numbers 4, 5 and 6
   
   1. Resolution number 4 – Constitutional amendments to create gender neutral terms
   2. Resolution number 5 – Constitutional amendment to ensure continuity of presidential duties
   3. Resolution number 6 – Constitutional amendments for representation on Council for members in Northern Ireland

Full details of the above three resolutions are contained within the full attached AGM agenda below. Supporting information for the resolutions can be read here. 

1. Draft practice rules for information. Full details contained within the full attached AGM agenda below. Supporting information for the draft practice rules can be read here. 

You can read the full AGM 2021 agenda here

Agenda for the 71st Annual General Meeting of the Law Society of Scotland to be held as a virtual meeting by telephone and video conference on Thursday, 28 May 2020 at 5.30pm. 

Anyone wishing to attend the AGM will be required to register in advance. To do so, please email registrar@lawscot.org.uk by Friday 22 May 12 noon. Only by registering will you receive the audio and video call details.

Order of formal business

1. Approval of the minute of the Annual General Meeting held on 30 May 2019 and the minutes of the Special General Meetings of 6 September and 24 October 2019.

2. The President’s Address

3. The adoption of the reports from the Treasurer; the Client Protection Fund Convener; the Audit Committee Convener; and the Lawscot Foundation Board of Trustees for 2018/19.

4a. Resolution number 1 - The approval of the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Society and the Client Protection Fund for 2018/19. 

4b. Resolution number 2 - The appointment of the Auditors to the Society and the Client Protection Fund for 2019/20

The annual report and financial statements are available to read on the annual report pages of our website. 

5. Chief Executive’s Report

Presentation by the Chief Executive on the Society’s current operating performance.

6. Resolution number 3 – Practising Certificate fee for 2020/21

“That, as from 1 November 2020, the Annual Subscription payable by each member of the Society holding a Practising Certificate will be £460”

 7. Draft practice rules for discussion

There will be a presentation on the draft practice rules which the Regulatory Committee is proposing to be introduced later this year. The draft practice rules concern changes to Rule D.5 on incorporated practices. More detail is set out below. 

Amendments proposed to Rule D5 (Incorporated Practices)

These rules set out the requirements which must be met before a body corporate can be recognised by the Society as an ‘incorporated practice’ in terms of s34(1A) of the 1980 Act.

At present the rules contain some requirements which only apply to limited companies. The main purpose of the amendments is to equalise the treatment of incorporated practices, regardless of whether structured as a company or a limited liability partnership, given that, in reality, both types of structure may have only a limited number of individuals qualified to own, manage and control the business and hence both types of structure may need to consider how to manage the same risks.

The draft Amendment Rules are accompanied by track-marked and clean draft versions of how the rules at D5 would read, if amended in accordance with the Amendment Rules, and by draft Guidance which would be available alongside the amended rules. 

1. Draft amendment rules (No 2 of 2020)  - proposing amendments to the rules at D5;  
2. A revision-marked version of the current D5 rules showing the proposed changes tracked;
3. A clean version of the D5 rules – showing how they would read once amended in terms of the amendment rules;
4. Draft Guidance to accompany the amended rules.

A Law Society Special General Meeting (SGM) is to be held at 9.15am on 24 October 2019 at our offices at Atria One, Edinburgh.

Agenda

1. Draft practice rules for discussion

There will be a presentation on the draft practice rules which the Society needs to put in place due to the UK’s scheduled exit from the European Union. Read a copy of the instrument of amendment for these draft practice rules. 

The Law Society's Special General Meeting (SGM) is to be held at 9.30am on 6 September 2019 at our offices at Atria One, Edinburgh.

See below, the agenda for the meeting.

Agenda

Presentation of Honorary Membership of the Law Society of Scotland to Alistair Cockburn and Sheriff Brian Kearney

Resolution

1. Practising Certificate fee for 2019/2020 - Resolution number 1

  Resolution from the Council on the Practising Certificate Fee for 2019/2020

  “That, as from 1 November 2019, the Annual Subscription payable by each member of the Society holding a 
   Practising Certificate will be £575”

  For a copy of the paper on the Practising Certificate Fee for 2019/2020 please click here.

Topic for information

2. Murray Etherington, Chairman of the Insurance Committee will speak on the profit share agreement for the Master Policy for insurance years 2014/2015, 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. For a copy of the paper on profit share please click here.

 Draft practice rules for discussion

     3. There will be a presentation on the draft practice rules which the Society needs to put in place due to the UK’s 
         scheduled exit from the European Union. For a copy of the instrument of amendment for these draft practice
         rules please click here.

Voting in advance of the meeting - online vote is now closed

The Constitution now allows voting on any matter in advance of the SGM. The only matter on which a vote is scheduled is on the approval of the Practising Certificate fee 2019/20.

Online voting for this will open on Thursday 22 August at 12 noon and run until 12 noon Thursday 5 September.  You will receive an email when the voting opens. Voting is now closed. 

It is no longer possible at a general meeting to demand a poll vote or to vote by proxy except in relation to a 'constitutional resolution', for which there is none at this SGM.  

The Law Society's 70th annual general meeting was held at 5.30pm on 30 May 2019 at our offices at Atria One, Edinburgh.

See below, the agenda for the meeting.

Presentation of Honorary Membership of the Law Society of Scotland to Dame Elish Angiolini DBE PC QC FRSA FRSE 

Order of formal business

1.  Approval of the Minute of the Annual General Meeting held on 31 May 2018.

2.  The Presidential Address by Alison Atack, President. 

3.  The adoption of the reports from the Treasurer; the Client Protection Fund Convener; the Audit Committee Convener; the In-house Lawyers’ Committee Convener; and the Convener of the Scottish Solicitors’ Benevolent Fund (SSBF) for 2017/2018.

4a. The approval of the Annual Report and Accounts of the Society; the Client-Protection Fund and the SSBF for 2017/2018.

4b. The appointment of the Auditors to the Society; the Client Protection Fund; and the SSBF for 2018/2019.

You can read the documents referred to above here.

5.  Chief Executive’s Report

Presentation by Lorna Jack, Chief Executive on the Society’s current operating performance and five year strategy 2015/2020

6.  The Roberton Review

Presentation by Kevin Lang, Executive Director of External Relations and Philip Yelland, Executive Director of Regulation on the Report of the Independent Review of Legal Service Regulation in Scotland

7.  Practice rules amendments - for discussion

There are two sets of draft practice rules for discussion. Craig Cathcart, Convener of the Regulatory Committee will speak to these draft practice rules. You can read the draft instrument of amendment for each of the two sets of draft practice rules.

There are separate explanatory notes to these practice rules available here.

The Law Society's 69th annual general meeting was held on 31 May 2018 at our offices at Atria One, Edinburgh.

A modest rise in the cost of practising as a Scottish solicitor was agreed following an eight-year freeze. Members voted in the majority to adopt the proposed rise of £15 in the 2018/19 practising certificate subscription to £565, put forward by the Law Society’s Council.

See below, the agenda for the meeting.

Order of formal business

1. Approval of the Minute of the Annual General Meeting of 27 May 2017 and the Minute of the Special General Meeting of 25 January 2018.
   

2. The President’s Address.

3. The adoption of the reports from the Treasurer; the Client Protection Fund Convener; the Audit Committee Convener; the In-house Lawyers’ Committee Convener; and the Convener of the Scottish Solicitors’ Benevolent Fund (SSBF) for 2016/2017.
   
   
4. a) The approval of the Annual Report and Accounts of the Society; the Client-Protection Fund and the SSBF for 2016/2017.
   b) The appointment of the Auditors to the Society; the Client Protection Fund; and the SSBF for 2017/2018.
   
   You can read the documents referred to above here.
   
   
5. Chief Executive's report
   Presentation by the Chief Executive on the Society’s current operating performance and five year strategy 2015/2020.

Resolution

6. Practising Certificate fee for 2018/2019 - Resolution number 1
   
   Resolution from the Council on the Practising Certificate fee for 2018/2019
   “That, as from 1 November 2018, the Annual Subscription held by each member of the Society holding a Practising Certificate will be £565”

Topics for discussion

7. The Council has agreed that Michael Sheridan, Solicitor, Glasgow can raise at this meeting the topics of Alternative Business Structures and Proxy voting for discussion.                                

Our practising and non-practising members were invited to attend a Special General Meeting (SGM) on Thursday 25 January when they endorsed amendments to practice rules intended to raise standards around their anti-money laundering practices and incidental financial business.

Our current incidental financial business (IFB) regime allows firms to conduct certain activities which would otherwise require Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) authorisation.

The changes to the incidental financial business rules, the first in over a decade, are required to ensure that we implement the terms of the Insurance Distribution Directive by the required date of 23 February 2018.

The purpose of the directive and the amended IFB rules is to raise the standards of conduct of business and introduce greater disclosure requirements in relation to the distribution of insurance products.

The second set of proposed amendments set out what will be required of Scottish solicitors in terms of their anti-money laundering (AML) practices and how we will supervise compliance. The key difference will be the introduction of desk-based risk assessment and reviews, which in some cases may lead to an onsite AML audit of firms by the Law Society.

Convener of the Client Protection Committee and Vice President of the Law Society of Scotland, Alison Atack introduced both sets of amendments.  She said, “We take our regulatory role very seriously and it is imperative that we have a robust set of practice rules, which provide clarity for the profession and the appropriate and necessary protections for solicitors’ clients.

“I am pleased that our membership has endorsed the proposed amendments.  We will now seek formal approval from the Lord President’s office and work towards their implementation.  We will of course keep our members up to date as matters progress”.

We consulted widely on the proposed changes, seeking the views of our members, the Lord President’s Office and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on the IFB rules. We will seek the Lord President’s formal approval on the AML rules once a supporting legislative change process has been concluded and before implementation.

Guidance relating to both rule changes will be developed and issued to members in due course.

Read the full SGM 2018 agenda

This year's Annual General Meeting was held at on Thursday 25 May 2017 at the Law Society offices at Atria One, 144 Morrison Street, Edinburgh.

Honorary Membership of the Society

The award by the Council of Honorary Membership of the Law Society of Scotland to Adrian D Ward MBE, Solicitor.

Order of formal business

1. Approval of the Minute of the Annual General Meeting held on 26 May 2016.
2. The President’s Address.
3. The adoption of the reports from the Treasurer; the Client-Protection Fund Convener; the Audit Committee Convener; the In-house Lawyers’ Committee Convener; and the Convener of the Scottish Solicitors’ Benevolent Fund (SSBF) for 2015/2016. 

4a.       The approval of the Annual Report and Accounts of the Society; the Client-Protection Fund and the SSBF for 2015/2016.

4b.      The appointment of the Auditors to the Society; the Client-Protection Fund; and the SSBF for 2016/2017.

5. Chief Executive’s Report

Presentation by the Chief Executive on the Society’s current operating performance and five year strategy 2015/2020.

Resolutions

6. Resolution from the Council of the Law Society of Scotland to amend the Society’s Constitution – Resolution 1

Resolution to amend the Scheme under the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 being the Constitution of the Law Society of Scotland (which came into operation on 1 November 1988)

“That with effect from 00.00 hours on 26 May 2017 the Constitution of the Law Society of Scotland is amended as follows –

Amendment to Article 3 Composition of the Council

In article 3(3) for the number “6” substitute the number “8”. “

7. Practising Certificate fee for 2016/2017- Resolution number 2

Motion from the Council on the Practising Certificate Fee for 2017/2018 – Motion No1.

“That, as from 1 November 2017, the Annual Subscription held by each member of the Society holding a Practising Certificate will be £550”

8. Practice Rules – proposed changes in practice rules for Solicitor Advocates – Resolution 3

Motion from the Regulatory Committee on Amendments to the Society’s Practice Rules – Motion No 2.

The meeting began with outgoing president Christine McLintock paying tribute to past president Michael Park CBE who sadly passed away recently. She spoke about all of the work Michael had done to represent Scottish solicitors. She added: “We were sad to hear the news of his death and extend our condolences to Michael’s family at this difficult time.”

Christine then gave a short speech summing up her 12 months in office. During her speech she said:

“It has been a wonderful, challenging and productive year. We have launched an ambitious new strategy focused on continuous improvement and Leading Legal Excellence.  We have moved into these wonderful new premises, which better reflect a modern, adaptable and successful Scottish legal profession.

“We have seen the profession become majority female for the first time and done some ground-breaking work on equality and diversity.  And another highlight for me, we announced news of our exciting Lawscot Foundation.”

Christine finished her speech by thanking Alistair Morris, past president, who was standing down from the Law Society council after 24 years for his service to the profession. She also welcomed incoming president Eilidh Wiseman.

Lorna Jack, chief executive, gave members an update on our operational plan and new five year strategy which is intended to ensure the Society is a bolder, more ambitious and more effective world class professional body. Lorna explained that we are making great progress across all 28 projects with the vast majority expected to be completed on time. The major projects include:

• A legislative change programme
• Reforming our post qualifying accreditation system
• Justice reform including legal aid
• Member smartcard roll-out
• Implications of the EU referendum

Lorna also highlighted again an important change that we are making. She said “We have recently appointed leading insurance brokers Lockton to administer and broker our Master Policy of professional indemnity insurance with effect from 1 January 2017.

“The decision to change brokers was the result of a comprehensive and open tender process which started nearly a year ago in June 2015.  This tender was carried out by a specialist panel of practitioners drawn from the Society’s insurance committee. The panel’s recommendation to the Insurance committee, Board and ultimately Council, to change brokers was based on a range of factors and was taken very seriously. The factors included Lockton’s brokering and placement plans; their service levels; their proposed innovation especially in the area of online renewal and their commitment to the long term sustainability of the Master Policy.”

Lorna concluded by thanking current broker Marsh “I want to take the opportunity to put on record our gratitude for the great working relationship we have had with Marsh and Alistair Sim and Russell Laing in particular.”

The AGM, which was attended by 35 solicitors, went on to approve freezing the 2016/17 Practising Certificate fee at £550 for the seventh consecutive year. The accounts fee and also fees for new solicitors, non-practising members and those on the roll were set at the April Council meeting. 

In other business, draft amendments to the practice rules relating to the civil legal aid quality assurance scheme were also passed. Changes to our constitution relating to voting at the AGM and office bearers were also approved by members.

Statements of our accounts; the client protection fund (formerly the guarantee fund); and the Scottish Solicitors' Benevolent Fund as well as reports from the audit committee and in-house lawyers' group committee are available to view here.