The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament and became The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act; it came into effect on 27th June 2025. What was the reason for this though? The purpose was to modernise and improve the way in which legal services are regulated in Scotland.
What are the key provisions of the Act?
Changes to the complaints system – the Bill aims to simplify and accelerate the process for dealing with complaints against solicitors.
“Lawyer” – before the Act, anyone including those with no legal training or qualifications were able to call themselves a “lawyer” and therefore charge to provide the legal advice. This provided a risk to members of the public who could be provided with incorrect advice which could cause significant loss with no redress. The Act now states that the term “lawyer” is now legally protected in Scotland so only those with a license can use it and no one else which protects members of the public and will give them the confidence that the person they seek advice from will have the relevant knowledge and qualifications.
Protecting the public – by providing better regulation in order to protect members of the public.
Greater Powers for Scottish Ministers – the Act now gives Scottish ministers powers to intervene in the regulation of solicitors which includes their admission, how they operate as a business and their suspension. The judiciary and the Law Society of Scotland have raised concerns with this.
The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025 represents a huge step in modernising the Scottish legal industry in order to ensure members of the public are protected and is a welcome change.
