Appointments of a Legal Member in Edinburgh

The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) was set up in 1987 to manage legal aid in Scotland and is a non-departmental public body responsible to the Scottish Government. Legal aid supports people who would otherwise not be able to afford it, to get help for their legal problems.

The role of the Board is to provide leadership, direction, support and guidance to ensure SLAB delivers and is committed to delivering its functions effectively, efficiently and in line with the general aims, policies and priorities of the Scottish Ministers. The Board is also expected to provide creative contribution and constructive challenge on all matters whether financial, risk or strategic in nature.

Role
To ensure the Board has the benefit of appropriate specialist knowledge, professional perspectives and technical insights to contribute to its role of overseeing SLAB\’s performance and strategic development, the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act requires that membership includes:

• two members of the Faculty of Advocates,
• at least two members of the Law Society of Scotland
• at least one person having experience of the procedure and practice of the courts. This experience need not be current and can have been attained in a variety of ways such as a Sheriff, in-court adviser, a McKenzie friend or someone who has worked or researched within a court setting.
• Non legal members from a range of communities with backgrounds in business, the third sector and public service to give the Board a wide and balanced variety of knowledge, skills and experience.

In this round we are looking for a legal member from the Faculty of Advocates, a legal member from the Law Society of Scotland, one member with court experience and two non-legal members.

Remuneration and time commitment
£249.00 per day. Reasonable expenses incurred will be reimbursed. The role is non-pensionable.

3.5 days per month (to a maximum of 42 days per year which includes reading time).

Term of appointment
The appointment will be for a period between 3 and 5 years.

Further information about the Board, its structure, mission, vision and strategic objectives can be viewed here:

Responsibilities
Public Appointees are responsible for:

• ensuring that the public body delivers its functions in accordance with Scottish Ministers\’ policies and priorities
• providing strategic leadership
• ensuring financial stewardship
• holding the Chief Executive and senior management team to