SLCC Appoints Advisory and Litigation Panel Firms

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission has appointed three law firms to its advisory and litigation panel following a competitive tender process run through the Public Contracts Scotland portal.

Anderson Strathern, Brodies, and Harper Macleod were appointed to the panel, which will provide legal services to the SLCC from 1 October 2018 for the next three years (with a one year extension possible).

SLCC chief executive, Neil Stevenson, commented “we were delighted with the interest from law firms in our public notice, and ran a robust competition which tested the ability of firms to provide a full range of advice to the SLCC.”

“We are in a unique period in the development of legal regulation and complaint handling focussed on the Consumer Principles and the ‘Better Regulation’ agenda.  We were looking for law firms that were strategic, innovative and risk confident in their advice, as well as having breadth and depth of technical expertise, and these firms excelled in these areas.

“That focus was based on ensuring we could work in partnership on the challenges we anticipated in the coming years.  These range from the introduction of non-lawyer owned businesses to the market, to driving more proportionate processes with better outcomes for the public and sector.  We also anticipate radical legislative reform will come out of the current independent review of legal regulation which may see an entirely new approach to standards, public protection and complaints handling.”

“As part of our commitment to efficiency, and a ‘digital first’ approach, the competition was run entirely online using some of the automated components of Public Contracts Scotland portal.  Web-based QA available to all those submitting helped clarify and sharpen mutual understanding, and contracts were delivered for signing within 48 hours of the tender outcome.”

“We work collaboratively with our legal advisory panel, and work kicks off this week with a round table of all our key advisers as we prepare to be able to respond immediately to the outcome of the independent review of regulation and complaints, which is expected in the next few weeks.  We want to be in a position where we can engage rapidly with government and stakeholders, and to take a leadership position in delivering change which will make a difference for those using legal services and those providing them.”

“We’d like to thank all law firms that submitted bids – from the legal experts in those businesses to the often un-sung heroes behind the scenes of tender submissions  – but are delighted to announce these appointments and to be working with these three firms. “