Solicitors invited to vote on PC fee at AGM

Solicitors are invited to vote on four resolutions at the Law Society of Scotland annual general meeting this month, including the proposed Practising Certificate fee for 2023/24.

The Law Society’s Council has recommended a £146.25 rise to the current fee bringing it to £731.25.

Sheila Webster, President of the Law Society, said: “The Society’s Finance Committee and the Council were unanimous in agreeing the need to increase the current fee.

“For more than a decade, the Law Society has either frozen the Practising Certificate fee or had below inflation increases. Even with the proposed rise, the cost of practice in 2023/24 will remain lower in real terms than 15 years ago.

“At the height of the economic impact of Covid, we slashed the practising certificate fee to ensure we supported our members financially when they needed it most. We have shown how much we understand the importance of keeping the cost of practice as low as possible. However, it is unsustainable for us to maintain this approach indefinitely and we must now look to rebuild our financial resources to secure the longer-term financial sustainability of the organisation.

“Doing anything else would require us to reduce our work at a time when we are being encouraged by our members to do more. We want to ensure that we can continue to provide tailored support and services, from negotiating our Master Policy annually, advice from our professional practice helpline, or wellbeing support which has been identified as a key and growing priority by our members.

“It is also a critical time for the Society and the wider profession and there is a greater need than ever to ensure the voice of the profession is heard effectively on key issues that affect members, including justice reform, legal aid and legal services regulation.”

The four resolutions at the AGM are:

1. the approval of the annual report and financial statements for the year ending 31 October 2022
2. the re-appointment of the auditors (BDO) to the Society
3. the approval of the practising certificate fee for 2023/24
4. the approval of an amendment to the Constitution to accommodate mutual tax status

Practising certificate fees since 2003 (using CPI inflation figures)

To register to attend the AGM on Thursday, 29 June, which will be held online, members can email member.registration@lawscot.org.uk, marking their email 'AGM 2023 Registration' in the subject line.

The 2023 AGM agenda and supporting information is now available on our website, including details on how to vote in advance, by proxy or at the AGM. Online voting opens on 20 June 2023.