Policy committees

The aims and functions are to:

• promote access to justice for the public
• identify barriers to access to justice and, where possible, work alone or with others to identify or implement solutions
• monitor the supply of publicly funded legal assistance across Scotland, encouraging greater coordination of services
• identify opportunities to promote pro bono work
• build the Society's relationship with law centres, Part V solicitors, and other advice providers
• examine how a range of funding sources for, and providers of, legal advice can be encouraged
• liaise and negotiate with external organisations, such as Scottish Government, Citizens Advice and others
• collaborate with other LSS committees, including Civil Justice, the Civil Legal Aid Negotiating Team, Mental Health and Disability, Equality and Diversity and Human Rights and Discrimination

Members

Jim Stephenson (Convener) 
Ben Christman*
Malcolm Combe 
Christina Cummings*
Louise Johnston*
Martin Jones*
Fraser Latta
Arlene McDaid
Hayley Mullen
Sheekha Saha
Susan Sutherland*
Robert Sutherland*
Andrew Alexander (Secretary)

The aims and functions are:

• assure the quality of those admitted as solicitors in Scotland by review of policy and standards for pre and post-qualification education and training and to make recommendations to the Council
• promote greater awareness of the education and training strategy of the Society
• play a leading role in all thinking about legal education and training in Scotland
• represent vigorously the Society's views to all other interested bodies, including the government and the universities

Members

Jim Stephenson (Convener)
Fiona Allison*
David Blair
Bernadette Campbell*
Chloe Corr*
John Logue
Prof. Kenneth Mackinnon*
Moria MacMillan
Thomas Muinzer*
Dean Purdie
Stephaine Switzer*
Rachel Wood
Rob Marrs (Secretary)

The aim of the committee is to take a leadership role in the delivery of the Law Society's strategy, particularly the area under influencing the creation of a fairer and more just society and being an international centre of excellence in thought leadership, through the development of positions relating to public policy.

The committee (together with other committees of the Society) also has an aim of meeting the Society's statutory objectives of:

• Supporting the constitutional principle of the rule of law and the interests of justice
• Promoting the interests of consumers and the public interest generally
• Promoting access to justice and competition in the provision of legal services
• Promoting an independent, strong, varied and effective legal profession

Members

Christine McLintock (Convener)
Professor Alison Britton*
Fiona Closs
Sheelagh Duffield
John Maciver
David Mair
James McLean
Sheekha Saha
Drew Smith*
Lynda Towers
John Erskine (Secretary)