Specialist Accreditation Calling Regulatory Lawyers
The Society has received an application to create a new specialist accreditation category. The accreditation scheme offers recognition of solicitors who develop specialist knowledge during their careers, and also helps the public choose a solicitor with the necessary expertise, particularly in more complex cases.
Solicitors can apply to be accredited if they can demonstrate significant experience in the relevant area of the law in the five years before their application, and have held an unrestricted practising certificate for at least seven years. Currently we offer accreditation in 28 areas of law, and accredit family and commercial mediators
We have received an application to create a new category for accreditation of ‘regulation of professional conduct’, and are keen to establish interest from potential applicants in order to help guide the Society on whether this category should be established.
The proposal is that the category would cover the law applicable to the regulation of professional conduct and would require applicants to demonstrate an understanding of the tests for professional misconduct, including the legal criteria for culpability where a departure from the relevant Codes of Practice or Practice Rules has been alleged, and be able to demonstrate significant experience in working in this area of the law.
This would be open to solicitors who work in investigation and prosecution of allegations of professional misconduct as well as solicitors who represent clients who have allegations of misconduct against them.
If you are interested in supporting the establishment of this particular accreditation category, and in particular would consider applying to be accredited, please contact the Secretary to the Accreditation Panels, Elaine MacGlone at elainemacglone@lawscot.org.uk by Friday 31st March 2017
If you would like to find out more about specialist accreditation and the current categories offered please see /members/membership-and-registrar/accredited-specialists/