Legal experts to speak at annual conference
2 Mar 07
Law Society of Scotland event brings together more than 400 solicitors
More than 400 solicitors from around the country are due to attend today's Law Society of Scotland annual conference.
The event at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), who will have the Six Nations Trophy on display, is host to some of Scotland’s foremost legal experts, who will address delegates on conveyancing, family law, employment law and trusts and inheritance, and provide a forum for debate on current legal issues.
Speakers at the conference include Professor Stewart Brymer, a partner at Dundee-based law firm Thorntons Law LLP and convener of the conference’s conveyancing programme.
He said: "The past few years have seen enormous amounts of legislative activity in conveyancing, much of which has resulted in significant change for the practising solicitor and the advice they give to their client. Solicitors are innovative and always strive to improve their working methods - one result of this is the highly successful rollout of regional standard missives, now used across much of the country.
"Solicitors have also been involved in the plans to reform Scotland’s housebuying/selling system, including the well-publicised and, in certain quarters, heavily-criticised proposals by the Executive to introduce the single survey which will bring further change for everyone involved in buying or selling property. 2007 will see yet more change in the practice of conveyancing.
Mark Stewart, of Anderson Shaw & Gilbert in Inverness, will introduce "The New Age of Trusts", a comprehensive programme looking at the implications of changes in tax law for solicitors and their clients. Leading practitioners, from both a legal and tax background, will speak about the recent radical changes in taxation of trusts in the Finance Act 2006, pointing out the pitfalls and highlighting what opportunities still do exist.
Mr Stewart said: "Solicitors have to be increasingly knowledgeable to ensure their clients get the right advice on wills and inheritance. Contrary to many perceptions, it’s not just the wealthy who set up trusts, but many thousands of people on moderate incomes who want to to help secure their children and grandchildren’s financial future by setting up trusts as part of their wills and these changes affect them."
Family lawyers will discuss the increasing use of pre- and post-nuptial contracts and cohabitation agreements in family law as part of the session chaired by Rachael Kelsey, a partner at Pagan Osborne. Delegates will also be given practical advice on risk management for family solicitors and the pros and cons of conventional negotiation, mediation and collaborative family law.
Malcolm Mackay, from Law at Work in Edinburgh, chairs the employment law programme which will examine many issues affecting the workplace today from family friendly rights to age and disability discrimination.
Ruthven Gemmell, President of the Law Society of Scotland, said: "The conference is not only a means for solicitors to attend seminars and ensure that they keep fully up to date on their area of law, but is a valuable opportunity to meet with their professional peers from around the country and discuss key issues.
"This year the conveners of each of the four streams have developed highly topical programmes in response to some of the biggest areas of changes in law in Scotland and have invited a range of highly respected speakers who will be able to give the conference delegates an informed overview of the current legal climate, as well as the detail of black letter law and how the recent changes affect solicitors' practice and the advice they give their clients."