Regulation of legal services
We launched an independent review of how legal services are regulated in April 2017.
The review considered what changes were needed to the statutory framework for the regulation of legal services to protect consumer interests and promote a flourishing legal sector. That included ensuring that consumers understand the options available to them when something goes wrong.
Fit for the Future: report of the independent review of legal services regulation in Scotland was published in October 2018.
The report makes 40 recommendations to Scottish Ministers on reforming the way in which legal services are regulated and complaints handled.
The primary recommendation is that 'there should be a single regulator for all providers of legal services in Scotland. It should be independent of both government and those it regulates. It should be responsible for the whole system of regulation including entry, standards and monitoring, complaints and redress. Regulation should cover individuals, entities and activities and the single regulator should be a body accountable to the Scottish Parliament and subject to scrutiny by Audit Scotland.'
We are considering the recommendations in detail and will respond in due course.