Areas of practice/sectors committees

• To improve the practice and procedure of civil law in the Scottish and UK legal systems for the benefit of the public and the profession through influencing for change and responding effectively to civil law reform proposals from Westminster, Holyrood, Brussels and beyond.
• To support the profession by developing appropriate guidance for members practising in civil law for recommending to the Professional Practice Committee and considering any rule changes by the Regulatory Committee.
• Seek to improve the profession’s income through monitoring solicitors cost rates, the market place and fees charged.
• Make representations to the Scottish Civil Justice Council Cost and Funding Committee for periodical increases in judicial expenses.

• To advise the Council and the profession on criminal law matters; to promote its reform; to respond to proposals for reform from bodies including the government and to enhance the profile of criminal law, encouraging best practice and professional ethics.
• To improve the criminal law, both practice and procedure, in the Scottish legal system for the benefit of the public and the profession through lobbying for change and through responding effectively to criminal law reform proposals from Westminster, Holyrood, Brussels and beyond.
• To advance the Law Society of Scotland as key in improving, commenting and analysing proposals for criminal law which emanate from the UK Parliament and UK ministries, the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government, the EU Commission and EU Parliament.

• To engage with in-house solicitors and trainees (not working in private practice), ensuring the Law Society understands and serves their professional needs.
• To promote the interests and status of in-house solicitors and trainees.
• To encourage and assist in the development of better training of solicitors and trainees working in-house.
• To promote the value of employing in-house solicitors and trainees to organisations who do not currently employ solicitors or trainees.

• To negotiate with Scottish Government, the Scottish Legal Aid Board and other relevant organisations on legal aid issues.
• To monitor and evaluate the outcomes of summary and solemn reforms.
• To communicate effectively the Society's work on legal aid.
• To undertake any other work necessary to deal with legal aid issues affecting practitioners.

• To consider matters relating to the law and practice of conveyancing.
• Where appropriate, to provide guidance and information to the profession.

The Senior Solicitor Advocate Accreditation Committee facilitates and administers the Senior Solicitor Advocate Accreditation Scheme which is designed to address a practical issue in the legal aid system, through which the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) can sanction an enhanced payment in respect of 'senior counsel' in criminal legal aid cases. The scheme creates a list of solicitor advocates who have been identified as suitable for enhanced remuneration by SLAB as 'senior'.

The committee considers applications for accreditation and re-accreditation as a 'senior solicitor advocate', providing recommendations to the Law Society's Council. It is comprised of solicitors and lay members, including the President of the Society of Solicitor Advocates (SSA), the Criminal Vice President of the SSA, and a member of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland.

If you would like any further information regarding senior solicitor advocates, or would like to make an application, please contact Sonia Gentile-Mills at soniagentile-mills@lawscot.org.uk

Applications for accreditation

Anyone considering applying for accreditation as a Senior Solicitor Advocate is advised to contact the committee secretary as detailed below.

Senior Solicitor Advocate status

The committee would remind members that accreditation as a Senior Solicitor Advocate is for the sole purpose of enhanced remuneration by SLAB only and is not an alternative to, nor does it confer the rank and dignity of, King's Counsel.

If you would like any further information regarding Senior Solicitor Advocates, please contact committee secretary Sonia Gentile-Mills at soniagentile-mills@lawscot.org.uk

• To consider matters relating to the technology law and/or practice, and where appropriate.
• To provide guidance and information to the profession as it relates to all areas of their professional practice.