Discussions: Law Society Scotland and Faculty of Advocates: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/18/01891
Date received: 11 July 2018
Date responded: 24 July 2018

Information requested

• Information on what was discussed between the Law Society of Scotland and Scottish Justice Ministers at the last 4 meetings between them with reference to the regular access to Ministers given to the Law Society of Scotland.

• Can you confirm if the Faculty of Advocates are given any form of regular meetings with Justice Ministers similar to the Law Society. If so, how often do they meet, and how long has it been going on for.

Response

• Information on what was discussed between the Law Society of Scotland and Scottish Justice Ministers at the last 4 meetings between them with reference to the regular access to Ministers given to the Law Society of Scotland.

Response:

1. Ministerial Quarterly Meetings

1.1 Ministerial Meeting between the Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs and Law Society of Scotland: 26 September 2017

Discussion Topics

• Legal Aid
• Review of the Regulation of Legal Services
• Lawscot Foundation
• Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland
• Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
• Alternate Business Structures for Legal Services

1.2. Ministerial Meeting between the Minister for Community Safety and Law Society of Scotland: 12 December 2017

Discussion Topics

• Legal Aid, including preventative benefits study on legal aid
• SLCC Annual Report
• Project 80/20, including ABS

1.3. Ministerial Meeting between the Minister for Community Safety and Law Society of Scotland: 18 April 2018

• Licensed Legal Providers Scheme/Abs
• Anti-Money Laundering
• LSS/SLCC proposals in relation to complaints handling
• Prescription (Scotland) Bill
• Estate Agents
• AOB (SLI Launch/Ministerial Reception for Law Society Council/SLCC first tier complaints handling

1.4. Ministerial Meeting between the Minister for Community Safety and Law Society of Scotland: 12 June 2018

• Civil Litigation Bill (Client Protection/Success Fee)
• Complaints Handling and ABS
• AML Legislation –vires issue

• AOB ( Brexit, Scottish Law Commission proposals for law reform/Legal Aid Review)

• Can you confirm if the Faculty of Advocates are given any form of regular meetings with Justice Ministers similar to the Law Society. If so, how often do they meet, and how long has it been going on for.

Response:

There are no regular meetings between Justice Ministers and the Faculty of Advocates on a similar basis as the Ministerial meetings with the Law Society of Scotland.

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