Stirling elected SLAS President at first remote AGM

John Stirling of Hamilton and David MacLennan of Edinburgh have been elected President and Vice President respectively of the Scottish Law Agents Society.

SLAS's AGM was the first in its 137 year history to be held remotely, using Zoom videoconferencing, due to the coronavirus – which was also a topic on the agenda. 

However the principal motion passed was one calling on the council of the Society to state that it had no confidence in the budget of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, or that the SLCC had complied with its statutory obligations in the preparation of that budget. Following an exchange of views the motion was passed by a majority of over 90% of those present. 

Andrew Stevenson, the secretary of SLAS, commented: "We had tried to have substantially the same motion heard by the AGM of the Law Society of Scotland last month, but its agenda provided no mechanism to enable that to happen. 

"The motion as passed at the SLAS AGM reflected a mature and considered response to the budget of the Commission. Our Society has consistently said that the SLCC does not recognise the present crisis in the legal profession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It must now agree to revisit its spending plans and find a way of achieving a substantial reduction."

He continued: "Obviously, lawyers do not wish to pay more than is absolutely necessary in the overheads legally imposed as a requirement of running a practice in Scotland. No businessperson does. However, the issue is a specific one rather than a general grievance about higher levies; the fact is that this particular budget is unreasonable and we think that the Commission has simply got it wrong.

"Inflation is currently below 1%. Had the SLCC proposed an annual increase of even 1.5% this motion would never have had to have been put before the AGM. As it is, the profession is facing an increase of 3.5% in the general levy. On top of that, coronavirus is a game-changer, threatening the viability of many legal firms. This factor appears completely to have escaped the notice of the Commission. The motion as passed by SLAS is a measured and specific answer to this proposed increase."