Regulatory Committee

The Law Society of Scotland is the regulator of over 13,000 Scottish solicitors, ensuring high standards in the profession.

Honorarium Payment

Members will receive an honorarium payment and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed for meetings.

Why Join?

• Play a key role in shaping the implementation of the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025 from the start, modernising and improving the way solicitors are regulated.
• Contribute your knowledge and expertise to guide regulatory policy and decision‑making.
• Collaborate with a diverse group of professionals.
• Gain valuable experience in regulation and oversight.
• Help establish a strong foundation for the committee’s work.

What Will You Be Responsible For?

The Regulatory Committee is responsible for delivering key regulatory objectives and plays a leadership role in setting the priorities and strategic approach. While regulatory sub‑committees take individual decisions, the Committee plays an essential oversight role, including:

• Setting, enforcing and monitoring standards, including agreeing new practice rules.
• Investigating complaints about solicitor conduct and prosecuting, where appropriate, before the Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal.
• Proactively inspecting the finances of hundreds of legal firms to ensure client money is protected.
• Intervening directly in firms when there is a critical need, including appointing judicial factors.
• Processing Client Protection Fund claims efficiently to ensure victims of a solicitor’s dishonesty receive appropriate compensation.

Key Changes

• Sets new regulatory objectives for the Law Society and new regulatory principles, supporting the rule of law and the interests of justice, protecting consumers and the wider public interest, and promoting an independent, strong and diverse legal profession.
• Reaffirms that all regulatory functions must be administered by the Regulatory Committee, making it the autonomous decision‑making body on regulatory matters related to Scottish solicitors.
• Gives the Regulatory Committee (and its sub‑committees) a range of new powers, including creating and implementing a new system of firm level "entity" regulation, wider powers to suspend a solicitor, and a new ability to require information from a solicitor and firm before a complaint is made.
• Requires that the Regulatory Committee report to the Scottish Parliament for the first time on an annual basis, setting out how the public interest is being maintained.
• Empowers the Committee to appoint its own members once the new committee is established.

Time Commitment and Expenses

The new committee is expected to commence and start work formally from January 2027. New members will be invited to attend the current Regulatory Committee for the remainder of 2026 as part of a managed induction and transition process. Successful candidates are required to attend committee meetings as scheduled. The Committee currently meets on average 6–7 times per year, with meetings typically lasting around 2.5 hours. Meetings are usually held on Thursdays between 10:00 am and 12:30 pm, and meeting dates are scheduled up to 12 months in advance. In addition to attending meetings, members should allocate time to read papers and supporting information in advance and to respond to emails relating to committee business. Meetings are held on a hybrid basis, via MS Teams and in the Society’s office. Members are encouraged to attend in person whenever possible. These positions will receive an honorarium payment and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

Length of Term

Appointments normally run for a three‑year term and will commence on 1 January 2027. As all members will be appointed at the same time, terms of office may be staggered to support continuity. Following formal approval, successful candidates will be invited to attend Committee meetings as an observer on 8 October and 3 December as part of the induction process prior to taking up their role.