SLCC initial comment on Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation final report

“Professor Mayson’s comprehensive and thoughtful report is a significant and welcome contribution to the debate on legal services reform.”

“Although focused on the different regulatory structures in England and Wales, many of the challenges and principles the report identifies are equally relevant to our context here in Scotland, and its recommendations for improvement are therefore vital reading for the Scottish legal services sector.” 

“Thirteen years on from the 2007 Act that created our current model of regulation, there is agreement across the sector that reform is needed; to better serve consumers seeking legal advice and representation, and to better reflect the legal services sector of today and of the future.”

Professor Mayson’s report adds to the growing bank of evidence, including the Scottish Government’s own independent review which in 2018 recommended a single, independent regulator for Scotland.  Had the sector supported this, Scotland’s legal sector could already have been leading reform, and benefitting from the opportunity to lead the market. Earlier this year the Competition and Markets Authority again intervened, raising further concerns about regulation and barriers to entry in Scotland.  Every report on the sector comes to the same conclusion - that bold reform is long overdue.

“The SLCC has made recommendations, and carefully considered and discussed proposals made by others. We continue to believe that the current regulatory and complaints framework is in need of fundamental reform to create an agile, future-proof, responsive and proportionate model of regulation. We stand ready to work with government and stakeholders across the sector to make that reform a reality.”