New charity announced at Law Society office opening

The Law Society of Scotland announced it will be launching a new charity for prospective lawyers at its official office opening yesterday, Monday 14 March 2016.

The new Lawscot Foundation will launch later this spring and will offer financial assistance and mentoring support to students from less advantaged backgrounds to help them as they study at University for a law degree or the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice.

Speaking at the event, Christine McLintock, president of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “The new Lawscot Foundation aims to help academically talented students from less advantaged backgrounds in Scotland through their legal education journey – both at undergraduate and diploma level.

 “We know from research that mentoring support is of equal importance to financial assistance and with that in mind, in addition to providing financial assistance, the Lawscot Foundation will provide a mentoring scheme which will link the students with experienced solicitors to offer guidance, advice, support and encouragement.”

 The establishment of the Lawscot foundation is part of the Law Society’s work on fair access to the profession, following a fair access review in 2013 which examined potential barriers to entering the legal profession. The Society has also pressed political parties to consider how access to university can be made fairer in their priorities document for the Scottish Parliament Election 2016.

 The announcement was made at the Law Society’s office opening event which saw Heather Cameron  and Zosia Kuczok, Dunbar Grammar pupils and participants in the new ‘Exceptionalprogramme’ run by the education charity Impressive People, cut the ribbon to declare the new office at Atria One officially open.

 The Society moved from Victorian townhouse offices on Drumsheugh Gardens to new Edinburgh offices at Atria One on Morrison Street in December, with the new office premises offering more modern and environmentally-friendly surroundings for staff and visitors.

McLintock added: “Our new office is completely open plan for everyone, from the most recently joined office junior to the chief executive, and the reason for that is so that everyone can work together effectively in teams and in the few weeks we have been here, we have seen that happen already. Working better and more effectively, will help us better serve Scottish solicitors and others working in the legal profession now and in the future.”

“I want to thank everyone who was involved in making our office move a success.”

ENDS

Note to editors:

Photo (names from left to right): Heather Cameron, Christine McLintock and Zosia Kuczok at the Law Society office opening in Edinburgh, 14 March 2016.

The Lawscot Foundation will be registered as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) under the name ‘The Law Society of Scotland Education Foundation’ and once registered will be launched later this spring.

Impressive People is a charity which works with successful former pupils to raise the confidence and aspirations of students in state schools. More information about the charity and its ‘Exceptional programme’, can be found at: http://impressivepeople.org/

More information about the Law Society’s office move can be found on the website: /about-us/office-move/  

More information about the Law Society’s fair access to the profession action plan can be found on the website: /education-and-careers/education-and-training-policy/fair-access-to-the-profession/

The Law Society’s priorities document for the Scottish Parliament Election 2016 can be found on the website: /for-the-public/our-priorities-for-the-scottish-parliament-election-2016/