News In Focus
14 November 2008
Society publishes final proposals on solicitor training
The Law Society of Scotland today publishes its final proposals on changing the way solicitors are trained in Scotland.
The Society’s policy paper The Way Forward aims to make legal training and education in Scotland more flexible and promote outcome-based learning which retains the high academic standards and practical skills required to become a solicitor.
Seven policy proposals cover each stage from academic to post-qualification and ongoing professional development, to ensure that solicitors can continue to meet the needs of their clients in a fast changing commercial and legal environment.
The proposals, available via the Society's website (see http://www.lawscot.org.uk/training/consult), are open to consultation until Friday 6 February 2009, and will then form the basis of a policy to be put before the Society’s AGM in May 2009.
Liz Campbell, director of education and training at the Law Society of Scotland, said: “We want to create a system which is effective from the moment someone enters university to study law to the day they retire from their legal career.
“It has been a hugely ambitious project – I think we are the only jurisdiction in the world to have undertaken a review of legal education on this scale – and there has been involvement from solicitors at every stage of their career as well as the universities, students and trainees.
“We have looked forward to try to determine what is likely to happen in the future, particularly in light of the Legal Services Act in England and Wales and also the Legal Profession Bill which will go through the Scottish Parliament in the next parliamentary session 2009-2010, which are likely to bring significant change to the way legal firms operate and provide services.”
Ms Campbell added: “It’s important that Scottish solicitors of the future have the skills to support Scotland’s economy and business communities and can meet the needs of their clients, from the individual or high street business to global companies.”