Website reviews

Reviews of the Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal website and others relevant to solicitors facing investigatory action

The Journal, December 2006, page 48

The controversy surrounding the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill rumbles on. For the latest information, including a PDF download of a second opinion from Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC, check the Law Society of Scotland’s website (www.lawscot.org.uk).

In the meantime, let’s consider the internet presence of the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal and some other, related sites.

Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal

www.ssdt.org.uk

The Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal, as you’ve probably never had cause to find out, is a formal judicial body which deals with certain categories of serious complaint against solicitors – some at first instance and others on appeal. The Tribunal has powers to strike you from the roll of solicitors, so it has a certain solemn aura to it. However, the website certainly doesn’t look sombre. With a grey, white and blue colour scheme it’s actually quite inviting.

Certainly, if one were ever to be hauled before the Discipline Tribunal this is one of the first websites you would want to visit. Why would this be? Obviously, you’ll need to know the Tribunal rules, which are available in HTML and PDF. You may wish to familiarise yourself with the backgrounds of the members who may be deciding your fate (both lawyers and non-lawyers). You probably haven’t asked many of the “frequently asked questions”, but you will certainly want to peruse the previous decisions of the Tribunal. These are available in abstract and in full (in PDF only) and are split into the categories of cases dealt with by the SSDT. You can also search by name of solicitor or, for example, specific type of professional misconduct (from conflict of interest to dishonesty) and even by sentence imposed. The decisions can be found by following the link headed “Findings”.

As far as negatives are concerned, the website proudly proclaims that it conforms with level A of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (1.0), but having checked, it only just passes muster: the colour contrast could be much better and many links don’t make sense out of context (e.g. “more” and “visit link”). Also, some of the Tribunal’s decisions didn’t download in PDF properly on request, which was frustrating.

Legal Defence Union

www.ldu.org.uk

One of the links you can find on the SSDT’s website will lead you here. The LDU’s website has had a recent makeover and it has been left looking fresh, modern and professional as a result. At least, the front page does. When accessing the other pages, it loses a little of its sheen, as with fewer graphics the green background becomes just too much. The Legal Defence Union, as the name suggests, is an organisation committed to defending the interests of solicitors in Scotland, especially members who may be facing action by the Law Society of Scotland or a hearing before the Tribunal.

The site itself is very functional, and to-the-point. It tells you about the LDU, why you should consider being a member, what you get if you do join, how much it’ll cost you and who to get in touch with if you need their help. It flirts briefly with some other sites on a “links” page and then bids you on your way. Not that there’s anything wrong with any of that. In fact, there are great number of websites that could do with imitating this approach to delivering information. Clear, concise and comprehensive – all at the same time.

Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman

www.slso.org.uk

I last reviewed this website in April 2004 and in revisiting it, not much has changed. It is still well laid out, easy to use, accessible and full of useful information for both complainer and complained about.

However, there are only two case studies available on the site, where more might have been helpful. The site suggests that there are more case studies, which are changed from time to time. I cannot imagine that there are too many frequent visitors to the site, unless they have a lot of problems with solicitors or advocates. Why not, therefore, just put all the case studies up?

I am also unsure whether there is a good reason that past decisions of the Ombudsman are not available (except for the most recent announcements featured on the site’s “noticeboard”).

These are, however, minor gripes – it’s still an excellent website. So it’s a shame that it’ll be closed down soon – maybe the Commission will have a good site too?