News In Focus
2 July 2007
Construction attorneys seek rights of audience
The Association of Commercial Attorneys, a Glasgow-based group which mainly operates in the field of construction law, has applied for rights of audience in Scottish courts under the newly implemented provisions extending such rights beyond the legal profession.
The measures were originally enacted in the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 but were not brought into force until amendments were made in the recent Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act.
The legislation permits members of recognised professional bodies to apply for rights of audience in defined areas. The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys wishes to obtain similar permission but it is understood has not yet formally applied.