LAW Society of Scotland president, Cameron Ritchie, is to meet with Western Isles solicitors when he flies into Stornoway on Wednesday, 21 September.
The visit is part of a series of events to meet with solicitors across Scotland to highlight the Society’s plans for the future and its priorities for supporting its members, which are set out in its new strategy document, ‘Towards 2020’.
Mr Ritchie will also explain changes to the Society’s practice and accounts rules and new training requirements for solicitors, and also take the opportunity to listen to the challenges that local solicitors are facing in their areas.
Mr Ritchie said: “Solicitors play a key role in communities across Scotland. They provide a range of essential services such as helping with buying and selling a property or making a will and can often provide a lifeline when someone is in the greatest need of help and advice.
“I have made it one of my aims during my year as president of the Law Society to meet with as many practitioners and in as many parts of Scotland as possible so that we can discuss issues that are particular to them and also share ideas and information.
“The past few years have been a time of rapid change for the legal profession, coupled with the ongoing economic downturn which has meant severe restrictions in public spending and cutbacks in the private sector.
“There will be no let up in the pace of change for the profession as next year will see the first ‘alternative business structures’, following the Scottish Parliament’s legislation passed in 2010, which will allow solicitors to set up in business with other professionals to provide legal services .
“We want our members to be as well informed as possible so that they too can plan ahead and ensure their business continues to succeed. More importantly, we want our members to have an opportunity to contribute their views to their professional body. That is why we want to listen to the concerns and better understand issues that they face on a local as well as national level.”
Sheehka Saha, solicitor for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, will also be attending the event. She is the elected representative for solicitors in the Western Isles as well as Orkney, Shetland and Skye on the Law Society’s Council.
She said: “This is great opportunity for local solicitors to find out more about the Society, how it works and what it does for its members – and how they can become more involved if they wish to. Equally, I think it’s essential for the Society as a membership body to be aware of the different issues solicitors face whether they work in the cities and towns in the Central Belt, or like me, are working within Scotland’s rural and island communities.”
Notes to editor
Further information about the Law Society of Scotland can be found on the website: http://www.lawscot.org.uk/about-us
For a biography of the current president of the Law Society, Cameron Ritchie, please follow this link: http://www.lawscot.org.uk/about-us/how-we-work/chief-executive–office-bearers
For further information journalists should contact Val McEwan on 0131 226 88884 or Suzy Powell on 0131 476 8115. Email: valeriemcewan@lawscot.org.uk / suzypowell@lawscott.org.uk
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