Smartcards from the Highlands to Hong Kong
So, after 160 registration events, thousands of miles travelled and more PIN and PUK codes created than we care to remember, the initial rollout of the smartcard to Scottish solicitors is beginning to wind down.
We have delivered over 9,000 cards to our members so far, and as a result, smartcarding (the term coined by Law Society staff for the process of issuing cards) is becoming less about large, day-long events meeting hundreds of members at a time and more about sweeping up anyone who hasn’t yet been able to get their card.
There are now smartcard-carrying Scottish solicitors in Hong Kong, New York, Sydney, Singapore, Adelaide and in cities all over Europe. See how far smartcards have travelled worldwide and in the UK.
But, as with the cliché about painting the Forth Rail Bridge, this smartcard rollout will never actually end – not least due to the almost 500 newly-qualified solicitors who enter the profession every year and who will start their careers smartcard in hand.
Speaking of the Forth bridges, we recently made the trip north to deliver smartcards to our members along the Moray and Aberdeenshire coast. Having finished our last large deployment of cards in Aberdeen, we extended our road trip further to the north-east of the country.
We’ve been to this part of Scotland several times already to issue smartcards, but this was an opportunity to visit some of the smaller firms in the region – especially those further away from the main thoroughfares. And it was one of the few times the sun was shining!
This trip involved a whistle-stop tour of nine different rural firms from Nairn to Fraserburgh, all of which made a special effort to welcome and facilitate us.
Meeting rooms were set aside specifically for the occasion and diaries were rejigged to accommodate our visit. Some firms even played host to solicitors from other local firms so that they could get their smartcards too.
All in all the experience was a testament to the wonderfully collegiate nature of Scotland’s legal profession.
Solicitors are always busy, so a missed appointment would have been absolutely understandable. Yet, all 17 members scheduled in that day went away with their new smartcard, enthusiastic about the technology and its possibilities, and appreciative of a face-to-face meeting.
The scenic trip back along the coast allowed for some reflection on the previous months of "smartcarding". We’ve been to all of Scotland’s major towns and cities, to its far flung corners and most of its islands. We’ve been to London, Birmingham and many other towns across the UK where Scottish solicitors ply their trade. We’ve even had the opportunity to issue cards to our members working in faraway parts of the world when they were home for a visit. There are now smartcard-carrying Scottish solicitors in Hong Kong, New York, Sydney, Singapore, Adelaide and in cities all over Europe.
While the priority during this process has been issuing smartcards to Scottish solicitors and enabling them to work securely online, a fantastic consequence has been the opportunity to meet face-to-face with thousands of our members. The cards will be due for renewal in six years’ time. Hopefully we’ll have the chance to meet members again long before then.