President's column: January 2023

Happy new year to you all! I hope 2023 is a peaceful and prosperous one for our members, particularly given the tumultuous few years we have had.

The start of a new year is always a time to look ahead and make plans for change and improvement – whether that’s considering the next step in your career or personal life, improving your health or taking on a new challenge. Whatever goals you may have set yourself for the year ahead, I wish you every success. As for me, the usual eat less and exercise more will continue to be the main priorities and, who knows, maybe 2023 is the year I actually do it!

Shape of reform

As an organisation, the Society is no different and, after many years of hard work, I’m very pleased that one of our own long-term goals has been reached. I’m sure many of you are aware that just before the break for Christmas and New Year, the Scottish Government published its plans for reforming legal services regulation – something we believe is good news for both consumers who need legal services and the profession itself.

The Government has confirmed that the Society will continue as the regulator of Scottish solicitors. The proposals have highlighted that the Society will gain additional powers and new flexibility to act to protect the public interest when needed, and I was delighted to see that changes are also proposed to the complaints system to make it simpler and quicker, benefitting all those involved.

The Society has a proud track record in maintaining professional standards and protecting the public. The 2018 Roberton report itself stated that “Scotland is home to a well educated, well respected legal profession with a high degree of public trust”, despite its overarching recommendation to create a new politically appointed body as regulator. We argued strongly against that model, highlighting how this would bring unnecessary added costs and raise serious issues in terms of the independence of the legal profession from the state.

Vote of confidence

The introduction of a bill later this year represents a real opportunity to deliver many of the changes we need and have pushed for over many years to be a responsive and effective regulator.

I would like to thank all of those involved in this process, including all of the staff members at the Society, and the office bearers past and present, who helped shape our response to the Roberton report and the subsequent engagement with Government. Thank you also to all those members who responded to the consultation paper, and lastly to the Government for having confidence in the profession and the Society.

In the meantime, we will continue our work to maintain the profession’s high standards and expertise, to provide the support you, our members, need to deliver high quality legal advice and services for clients each and every day, and to promote and protect the public interest.

More change ahead, but in a very positive direction.