Solicitor
- Regulators
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- Law Society of Scotland
- Nations
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- Scotland
- Sectors
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- Law
Regulatory or professional bodies
Primary regulator
- Regulatory authority
- Law Society of Scotland
- Address
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Level 2, Atria One
Edinburgh
EH3 8EX - Email address
- lawscot@lawscot.org.uk
- Website
- http://www.lawscot.org.uk
- Phone number
- +44 (0)1312 267 411
Regulation
Regulation summary
The Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 appoints the Law Society of Scotland as the sole regulator of Scottish solicitors. It also makes it a criminal offence to pretend to be a Scottish solicitor or to carry out certain types of Scottish legal work known as the reserved activities detailed below.
Regulation type
Reserved activities
Preparation of any document relating to:
• heritable or moveable estate,
• any action or proceedings in any court or
• any papers on which to found or oppose an application for a grant of
confirmation in favour of executors
See Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 for details
Protected titles
Solicitor
- More about regulated activities and titles
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/46/section/32
Qualifications and experience
New professionals
- Routes to qualification
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A link to information on the routes to qualification as a solicitor are set out under" More about qualification" below.
- More about qualification
- https://www.lawscot.org.uk/qualifying-and-education/
Professionals from other UK nations
- Routes to recognition within the UK
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All Scottish solicitors need to meet "fit and proper" requirements. There are three basic routes to qualify as a Scottish solicitor:
• the standard route - four years at a Scottish university completing an LLB degree in law , and a fifth year completing a diploma in professional legal practice at a university recognized for the purpose by the Law Society of Scotland, followed by a two year traineeship approved by the Law Society of Scotland
• the accelerated LLB [for postgraduates] route - two years at a Scottish university completing an LLB degree in law , and a third year completing a diploma in professional legal practice at a university recognized for the purpose by the Law Society of Scotland, followed by a two year traineeship approved by the Law Society of Scotland
• the alternative to university route - which involves a 3 year pre-training contract in conjunction with Law Society exams and a fourth year completing a diploma in professional legal practice at a university recognized for the purpose by the Law Society of Scotland, followed by a two year traineeship approved by the Law Society of Scotland - More about recognition within the UK
- https://www.lawscot.org.uk/qualifying-and-education/qualifying-as-a-scottish-solicitor/requalifying-into-scotland/
Professionals from outside the UK
- Recognition for professionals outside the UK
- All - there are routes to recognition for professionals from all countries
- Summary of routes
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All Scottish solicitors need to meet "fit and proper" requirements. All solicitors requalifying from another jurisdiction can apply to undertake the Qualified Lawyers Assessment. This is a universal set of exams, which will attract various exemptions for solicitors already qualified in certain countries.
- More about recognition for professionals outside the UK
- https://www.lawscot.org.uk/qualifying-and-education/qualifying-as-a-scottish-solicitor/requalifying-into-scotland/
Registration
- Registration requirements
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You must declare your status and compliance with rules annually and pay fees. See our website for current
Rules
https://www.lawscot.org.uk/members/rules-and-guidance/rules-and-guidance/ - More about registration
- http://www.lawscot.org.uk/members/membership-and-fees/
Legislation
- Title of relevant act or charter
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Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980
- Website link to legislation
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/46/contents