Solicitors agree first PC fee rise in nine years

A modest rise in the cost of practising as a Scottish solicitor has been agreed following an eight-year freeze.

Members voted in the majority to adopt the proposed rise of £15 in the 2018/19 practising certificate (PC) subscription to £565, put forward by the Law Society’s Council.

The decision to increase the PC fee by 2.7% was taken by solicitors at our annual general meeting (AGM) in Edinburgh, on 31 May 2018 and those who had already cast their vote online in advance of the meeting.

Alison Atack, our new President, said: “While we have successfully held the cost of practising as a solicitor at the same level for the past eight years, the Council proposed a modest increase to ensure we can continue to provide support and services for our members and meet our regulatory requirements.

“The increase is in line with inflation and means the cost of a practising certificate is still 20% less in real terms when compared with ten years ago.

“There have been some encouraging signs of growth within the legal sector but we realise that a number of organisations and firms, particularly those which carry out legal aid work, still face economic challenges and have to manage tight budgets.

“We will continue our drive to increase efficiency, to innovate and be enterprising in our approach to make sure we can add value. In addition, we aim to boost revenue through new and improved services, partnerships or suitable investment to ensure that we have a sustainable funding model that is less reliant on membership fees.”

Among other business, the AGM also held discussions about alternative business structures and proxy voting, and approved the 2016/17 annual report and accounts of the Law Society, the Client Protection Fund and the Scottish Solicitors’ Benevolent Fund.

Read more about the AGM