Scotland's law schools and Commission sign research work agreement

Ten Scottish university law schools have signed up to supporting the Scottish Law Commission's law reform work in an agreement that provides for enhanced joint working between the Commission and the academic community.

Lord Pentland, chairman of the Commission and Kenneth Swinton, convener of the Committee of Heads of the Scottish Law Schools, have signed a memorandum of understanding setting out the new arrangements – the first such agreement reached by the Commission in its 50-year history.

The new scheme will involve academic staff, postgraduate students or others contributing research to Commission law reform projects. The first placement is already underway with Dr John MacLeod of the School of Law at the University of Glasgow working at the Commission on reform of the law on enforcement of securities over land and buildings.

Law schools from Abertay, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier, Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian, Robert Gordon, Stirling and Strathclyde Universities are all backing the initiative.

Welcoming the agreement, Lord Pentland said: “There have always been strong and close links between the Commission and the academic community in Scotland; this agreement seeks to develop and strengthen those links. We are delighted that the law schools have been so enthusiastic in their support for the new scheme and we are excited by the prospect of working even more closely with academic colleagues.

“We believe that the Commission’s law reform work provides an ideal route for turning scholarly research into real-world impact. We are especially pleased to welcome Dr John MacLeod to the Commission as the first researcher working under the new arrangements.”

Mr Swinton, head of law teaching at Abertay University, added: “Scotland is a small jurisdiction and this agreement will ensure the resources of the Commission and the Scottish law schools are put to the best use for the benefit of the citizens of Scotland.

“It will ensure that Scotland’s laws are appropriate for contemporary society and that Scots law offers businesses an environment which balances the needs for clarity and fairness while ensuring certainty with the minimum of formality and transactional costs.

“Scottish academics from all the law schools have a lot to contribute to this process and this new agreement will allow their expertise to influence the law reform process and demonstrate clearly how their research can have a direct impact in the development of new laws and policy.”