Another year in focus

AGM report

Compared with the heated debates of recent years, this year’s AGM, in Perth Concert Hall, was a low-key affair for the 70 or 80 members who attended – an unscheduled fire alarm providing one of the main talking points afterwards. However, there was still enough meat to be had from the day’s business.

In his address, the President, Cameron Ritchie, reflected on an “arduous but enjoyable” year and recalled the first meeting of the Society in 1949 – when there was a plea for other legal societies in Scotland, for whom the creation of the Society had been controversial, to act with the Society rather than in opposition to it. So how much had changed?

The business market has, for one thing, and we “need to get more information out there” if solicitors are to be the advisers of choice, he said. Success in today’s market needs business as well as legal knowledge, but a survey of public attitudes by the Society showed that “Scotland needs solicitors, and the Scottish people agree with that”.

A positive note was the number of solicitors holding up despite the downturn, and he was always heartened by the enthusiasm of new entrants at admissions ceremonies.

Looking forward, the Society would be in a position to have its draft regulatory model with the Government for approval “very shortly”.

A smaller Council would be able to react to events more quickly while still containing a breadth of experience; and its membership was constantly renewing. The Society was a “high performing organisation” with a hard-working staff and he offered his good wishes to all for the coming years.