News In Focus
27 July 2007
Edinburgh location for Complaints Commission
The new Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) is to be based in Edinburgh.
It had been thought that, in line with the previous Executive's policy of placing jobs around Scotland, the Commission would have a location away from the capital. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill however announced this morning that operational reasons favoured siting the body in Edinburgh. The SLCC will be up and running in late 2008.
The Commission, which will have up to 60 staff, will operate independently of the professional bodies in resolving complaints against solicitors or advocates. It will be headed by a board composed of a non-lawyer chair as well as four non-lawyer members and four lawyer members, to be appointed by Scottish ministers after consultation with the Lord President.
The organisation will deal with inadequate professional service complaints and negligence cases with awards up to £20,000, but the professional bodies and their discipline tribunals will continue to deal with professional discipline and complaints about the conduct of practitioners.
The Commission will be able to review the way in which the professional bodies handle conduct complaints and will be able to enforce its recommendations. It will take over the review functions of the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman, whose office will be abolished.
Finely balanced choice
Mr MacAskill said: "The decision of where to site the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission was finely balanced.
"However, after detailed consideration, a number of factors tipped the balance in favour of siting the Commission in Edinburgh.
"Scotland's capital city is widely recognised as Scotland's legal centre. This decision therefore places independent complaints handling at the heart of the civil and criminal justice system and close to the hub of the legal profession.
"Taken together with the government's desire that the SLCC should share accommodation with other scrutiny bodies in the future, it is clear that Edinburgh is the preferred and right location for this body."