Journal Editorial Advisory Board

The Journal is the Law Society of Scotland’s online resource of legal news and articles produced for its members, the production and management of which, including sales, is outsourced to a third party.

• Analysis of topical legal issues and news and thought leadership
• A forum for balanced debate, community, conversation and learning
• Articles by leading figures and opinion formers in the legal profession and beyond
• Information critical to the everyday running of a legal practice or legal team
• Professional advice and practice guidelines from the Society
• Education and professional development.

• Provide content of relevance and interest to the membership
• Inform, engage, and inspire members
• Encourage sharing of knowledge and opinions from all
• Represent and reflect the demographic of the membership
• Create a sense of professional integrity and solidarity within a forum of shared excellence
• Challenge current perceptions and practices
• Promote and prompt debate
• Encourage and support the future leaders.

The Journal’s primary method of engaging with readers is via a weekly email. This provides links to the Journal’s online content hub where all types of content from articles to videos are hosted. The email channel is supported by a range of social media activities which link back to the content hub.

Members of the profession are automatically signed up to receive Journal communications. It is open to anyone else interested in Scottish legal matters (academics, journalists etc) to subscribe.

The remit of the Journal Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) is to work in collaboration with the editor of the Journal, Law Society staff and the publishing agency to:

• Develop the overall strategic direction the Journal publication/website
• Help identify upcoming and current issues
• Use subject area expertise of the board members to assist identifying contributors and/or to contribute directly.

• Meetings to be held every two months
• Members will send content ideas ten days before meeting. At least one idea per member per meeting
• Ideas are collated from board members and editorial team into a document shared a week before the meeting, along with agenda and current content plan
• Shared document forms the basis of board discussions, along with a verbal report from the editor about recent content and top-line statistics related to it
• Meetings are scheduled for 90 minutes.

The Board will consist of the Journal Editor, Law Society Staff and external members working in the legal profession. The chair will not be the Journal editor nor a Law Society member of staff.
To allow all members to contribute to the meetings, the maximum number of Board members is 15. Ideally, there will be sufficient numbers to provide sector expertise across the profession. The board should:

• Have experience that reflects the scope of the content.
• Reflect the diversity and demographics of the membership, including those newly qualified members.

• Expertise in the field
• Be passionate about the board, membership of it, and the role on it
• Ideally have an interest in writing for publication
• Be advocates for the profession and the Society
• Adhere to the Society’s Code of Conduct for committee members.

External Board members

• Terms for members: three years, with two repeat appointments possible, not including time served as a chairperson.
• Selection of new members: by a panel of the chair and two other members/relevant member of Society staffs.

Chairperson

• Can either be a solicitor or non-solicitor.
• Term - three years, with one repeat appointment possible.
• Selection: panel of Law Society staff whose decision is approved by the Law Society Board.

• Open recruitment via usual Law Society channels
• The Board may co-opt members where they feel that a specific sector, group or geographic region is unrepresented.