Thursday, August 06, 2009

High cost of protecting crooked lawyers brings jobs cuts at Law Society of Scotland while Legal Complaints Commission goes on recruitment drive

Law Society of ScotlandThe Law Society is facing job cuts due to lawyers demands for cheaper annual practising certificate. The Law Society of Scotland was today branded “a bunch of expensive wasters” by solicitors, consumer groups and clients after the Society announced earlier this week it would be seeking redundancies at its headquarters at Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh, where over 100 people are employed on everything from promoting the interests of the legal profession to protecting the ever rising tide of 'crooked lawyers' in Scotland from complaints by everyone from clients to even High Court judges.

The round of so far 'voluntary' redundancies, proposed by the Law Society of Scotland who are rumoured to be seeking savings of up to half a million pounds in its operating budget, was announced earlier this week, after the introduction of a pay freeze earlier in the year, coupled with restrictions on further ‘external recruitment’ after it became clear the current financial downturn was drastically affecting Scotland's legal profession and the profits of many legal firms (how sad), which led to calls from the membership for a reduction in the annual practising certificate payment by individual solicitors to the Law Society.

Lorna JackCurrent Law Society Chief Exec took over from Douglas Mill who is ‘blamed by many for the poor state of Scotland’s legal profession. The Society's Chief Executive, Lorna Jack, who replaced Douglas Mill, the former Chief Executive whose policies are being blamed by many for the high level of public antipathy towards Scotland's legal profession, said in the Law Society's Press Release : "The economic downturn is affecting our members who fund the Society through their subscriptions. In common with many firms our commercial revenue has decreased. We have to take appropriate steps to ensure that the organisation continues to manage its finances well and operates in a business-like and customer focused way.We are not alone in facing this difficult challenge but it is right and proper that the Society reflects current marketing conditions in its own business planning. I want to be sure that we work with and consult with staff which is why introducing voluntary redundancy is the right step to take at this time.”

Amid loud shrieks of laughter & disbelief from clients caught up in the Law Society's infamously corrupt regulatory process, Ms Jack went onto claim in the press release that the Law Society is still interested in 'delivering benefits for the public, Ms Jack continued : “Every element of our business has been re-examined in the planning process with a view to delivering benefits for the profession and the public in a cost effective way. We must retain the skills we need to do the job while reducing employment costs."

Ian SmartThe current Law Society President Ian Smart failed to mention any measures for protecting clients during downturn. The Law Society of Scotland's current President, Ian Smart, speaking on the reduction of £100 on the practicing certificate fee to around £565, which is to be brought to the Law Society's Special General meeting on September 24 and voted on by those who are able to vote, said : “This year we have met a demanding objective to produce a significant reduction in the cost of the practicing certificate, but it has been achieved by carefully working through the budget and planning for 2009/2010. We are very aware of the impact of the recession on the profession and want to keep the cost of practice as low as possible and give our members as much advance notice as possible about proposed costs for next year so that they can plan accordingly.”

Mr Smart, however, played the dumb card when it came to clients best interests, failing to mention anything in that regard at all in his released statement, to no surprise of many, as we all know, clients dont actually count, what counts is profits for legal firms and income for the Law Society !

A spokeswoman for a consumer group countered the statement from the Law Society's Chief Executive & the President.

She said : "Even in the financial downturn, the Law Society still has a duty to protect clients interests – a duty which is clearly not being achieved. In reality there is little motive on the Law Society's part to deliver any benefits for the public which may impact on the profits of its members, whose interests always come first."

From my own experience, and from those of you who have informed me of your cases, the fact is that as things stand with legal services in Scotland, people have more consumer rights & protection when they purchase something from an impromptu street market than clients have when engaging a solicitor to handle their legal interests.

Despite Lorna Jack's claim the Law Society is still interested in delivering benefits for the public, anyone involved in the debate on regulating the legal profession understands that the lack of consumer protection against rogue solicitors is down to the Law Society of Scotland successfully keeping the issue of the client's interests within its own control, when only a fully independent regulator and separate legal services users authority to defend and promote the public's interests with regard to legal services in Scotland will actually help both clients and the legal profession to get along.

A senior solicitor from one of Edinburgh's leading law firms today commented on the Law Society's 'savings plans', calling them "an overpaid bunch of high living wasters carrying out another exercise at self preservation at the expense of the membership."

He went onto say : "If the Law Society want to make savings they could start with reducing the costs of the Chief Executive's office, which currently stand at around £300,000 per annum and at the same time get rid of some of these Director portfolios staffed with remnants from the Mill era, who are on well over £100,000 each per annum."

"I know many sole practitioners and small High Street legal firms across Scotland who can hardly turn a profit in this downturn, while the Law Society are employing packs of these highly paid and generally useless individuals who are in positions they themselves have created. There are also a few at the Society who as we both know are fixated with protecting rogue lawyers from serious complaints regarding their standards of service, which is not doing the profession any good in these times, where the promotion of better practice and consumer confidence would better serve us.”

He ended by claiming the only way to resolve the huge difficulties Scotland's legal profession faced was "to dissolve the Law Society of Scotland, hand responsibility of regulation to an independent regulator, and allow local bar associations to promote the rights of their own members, given the Law Society of Scotland had made such a mess of things."

I can certainly agree with some of those sentiments, although I'm not too sure about the part regarding local bar associations, as I have personally found some of those across Scotland to be just as corrupt as the Law Society itself. I have for instance, come across situations where a client of a local solicitor in a small community or lesser populated region of Scotland who is forced to take issue with the standards of legal service they have received, can find themselves excluded by every law firm in the local bar association when they are forced to undertake the impossible in trying to obtain the services of another legal firm to repair the damage their original solicitor has done to their legal interests.

The only way to overcome such an obstacle would, in theory be for the maligned client to go to another area of Scotland to find a solicitor outwith the sphere of influence of the local bar association in the client's home area. Now, under the present regime, where the Law Society of Scotland controls regulation and discipline, that is an impossible task, as thousands of Scots clients of solicitors have found over the years.

However, splitting up the Law Society's responsibilities (minus its powers of regulation) may assist consumers in general to obtain legal representation and at more competitive prices, while lifting a significant burden of costs from the membership of the legal profession, who are all paying for the Law Society to continue the lavish lifestyles of its Directors, Chief Executives and numerous Committees, which do little for anyone except themselves.

Margaret Scanlan - Called to the Bars - Sunday Mail  15 March 2009 emailScottish Legal Complaints Commission go on recruitment drive to assist board members ‘on the razzle’. While the Law Society of Scotland have announced cost savings, there is little thought of that at the Scottish legal Complaints Commission, as a recruitment drive gets underway for a Clerk to the Board of Commissioner (Ref CC1), a position which is intended to support the Board of Members in the process of decision-making, including arranging and running hearings and promoting consistency. The latest position at the joint taxpayer-legal profession funded law complaints body involves “managing the SLCC’s portfolio of work, hours of work and the determination of complaints” (that shouldn't be too difficult with some board members being out on the razzle from time to time),with further support for the Chairing Member of the Board, the Board, the CEO and the Head of Investigations in providing and developing a high quality, efficient complaints handling service” - surely these claims are in jest, given the dismal performance of the SLCC to-date.

So, not a very taxing position by the sounds of it, and the salary is in the region of £35,088 per annum which is around £675 a week .. and at the rate the SLCC are botching up complaints investigations, the latest job offering sounds more like a thumbs twiddling exercise, mingled with the occasional 4 lines on a sheet of A4. Anyone who thinks they can manage that, and help whitewash a few crooked lawyers, well … apply now !

A legal insider expressed dismay at the latest recruitment drive at the SLCC, saying "How many people do this lot need to do their job when all they do is pass complaints back to the Law Society to investigate.The SLCC is a waste of time & money for consumers and the profession who are paying for it."

A client of a solicitor who has lodged a complaint with the SLCC and is currently experiencing severe difficulties in getting the commission to properly investigate their case said "Even if they have 500 people working at the SLCC all they will do is see to it that bent lawyers get off with a slap on the wrist or the usual complaints whitewash we get from the Law Society."

Its fairly obvious the legal profession is simply serving itself, and not the public. No matter what the Law Society and even the SLCC now do, they will both be tarnished with the reputation of being the corrupt self regulators the legal profession turns out for its own self interest, proving yet again, cleaning up Scotland's legal profession has never been needed more than it is today !

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

Late posting tonight Peter?

My heart just bleeds for those out of work scallywags from the LSS.Will the all just move over to the SLCC to continue their nefarious deeds ?

btw the £675 a week sounds good - sign me up if you can!

Anonymous said...

I imagine lawyers will just pass on these costs to their clients and then DOUBLE or TREBLE it as usual ?

Anonymous said...

A senior solicitor from one of Edinburgh's leading law firms today commented on the Law Society's 'savings plans', calling them "an overpaid bunch of high living wasters carrying out another exercise at self preservation at the expense of the membership."

Amen to that !

huckleberry finn said...

The amount of harm these people at the Law Society have caused I hope they all go straight to hell.

Anonymous said...

The deafening silence from the new Chief Exec of the Law Society on the issue of clients rights and expectations is very revealing - in this at least Ms. Smart can truly claim to have betrayed the merit of consisentency.

The rumblings from within the profession - is this what happens when theieves fall out? - suggest that Douglas Mill chose the right time to rush to the bosom of Glasgow University, and a generously salaried post in its Law Department.

Anonymous said...

My DOES NOT bleed for any sackings at this evil organisation.
I would like to suggest something but you probably wont print my comment so just to say HOORAY for the news a few supporters of thieving legal leeches are going to loose their jobs !

Anonymous said...

Good coverage.
Your source is spot on about the Law Society top brass being a bunch of wasters and not deserving of our subs!

Anonymous said...

I have zero compassion for these Nazi bastards. Scum every one of them.

Anonymous said...

I took a look at the job offer Peter but I think I will pass as it sounds a bit iffy.

And also I dont want to be associated with dodgy lawyers or getting them off the hook !

Anonymous said...

Hmmm something fishy about the whole thing with the Law Society sacking people and the slcc starting to recruit.

Anonymous said...

"The economic downturn is affecting our members who fund the Society through their subscriptions. In common with many firms our commercial revenue has decreased. (LORNA YOU ARE NOT REACHABLE). We have to take appropriate steps to ensure that the organisation continues to manage its finances well and operates in a business-like and customer focused way. (CUSTOMER FOCUSED WAY, WHERE IS THE PSYCHIATRIST, SHE HAS LOST THE PLOT). We are not alone in facing this difficult challenge but it is right and proper that the Society reflects current marketing conditions in its own business planning. I want to be sure that we work with and consult with staff which is why introducing voluntary redundancy is the right step to take at this time.” (GOOD A FEW BASTARDS LESS, THE NAZI'S ARE GETTING RID OF SOME OF THEIR TROOPS).

Amid loud shrieks of laughter & disbelief from clients caught up in the Law Society's infamously corrupt regulatory process, (YES INCREDULOUS HER STATEMENT IS) Ms Jack went onto claim in the press release that the Law Society is still interested in 'delivering benefits for the public, (THIS WOMAN IS A RAVING LUNATIC, WHO LIKE ALL SELF REGULATORS IS IN TOTAL DENIAL. HOW CAN AN ORGANISATION WHO SENT A CLIENT TO A LAW FIRM REPRESENTING THE LEGAL DEFENCE UNION, TO CLAIM AGAINST THE MASTER POLICY, BECAUSE THE CLIENT'S ORIGINAL LAWYER WAS NEGLIGENT POSSIBLY DELIVER BENEFITS FOR THE PUBLIC. TOTAL BULLSHIT, A LAWYER PROTECTION RACKET, THAT IS THE LAW SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND, NO LORNA THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT ARE LAWYER SCUM AND ROYAL SUN ALLIANCE). Jack continued : “Every element of our business has been re-examined in the planning process with a view to delivering benefits for the profession (YES LIKE SAVING PRIVATE PENMANN) and the public (BULLSHIT, PEOPLE OF SCOTLAND PLEASE DO NOT TRUST THIS ORGANISATION OR IT'S MEMBERS, OR YOU WILL PAY FINANCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE) in a cost effective way. We must retain the skills we need to do the job while reducing employment costs."

IF ANY LAW SOCIETY STAFF FEEL THEY WILL LOSE THEIR JOBS UNFAIRLY, MY ADVICE, TRY AND GET A SOLICITOR TO ACT FOR YOU.

THE LAW SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND ARE CRIMINALS, THE HOUSE OF INJUSTICE FOR CLIENTS, LORNA I THINK YOU ARE LIKE DOUGLAS MILL. CLIENTS NEVER TRUST THIS HOUSE OF CRIMINALS.

Anonymous said...

The economic downturn is affecting lawyers revenues, and client's experiences of the Law Societies complaints system ensures it is the most corrupt organisation in Scotland.

If Lorna Jack thinks her organisation help's clients, she is simply a nutter, stricken with the same condition present in all self regulators, DENIAL.

Anonymous said...

"If the Law Society want to make savings they could start with reducing the costs of the Chief Executive's office, which currently stand at around £300,000 (DO YOU WANT LORNA TO HAVE A STROKE?) per annum and at the same time get rid of some of these Director portfolios staffed with remnants from the Mill era, who are on well over £100,000 each per annum." WELL LAWYERS, YOU LOT KICK ASS HERE, AF IF YOU WERE DELAING WITH CLIENTS.

Anonymous said...

"He ended by claiming the only way to resolve the huge difficulties Scotland's legal profession faced was "to dissolve the Law Society of Scotland, (YES) hand responsibility of regulation to an independent regulator, (OF COURSE) and allow local bar associations to promote the rights of their own members, given the Law Society of Scotland had made such a mess of things."

THE ANTI LAWYER INDUSTRY KEEPS GROWING. THE PRIMARY DRIVER IS INJUSTICE, AND CRIMINALS BEING ALLOWED TO KEEP WORKING, WHEN THEY SHOULD BE IN JAIL. I WOULD JAIL LORNA JACK AND ALL OF THE STAFF AT THE LAW SOCIETY.

Anonymous said...

Keeping razzlers out of the headlines is not my idea of a decent job !

Anonymous said...

The rumblings from within the profession are only happening because ALL LAWYERS REPUTATIONS ARE NOW IN THE GUTTER.

The work of Peter and others exposing these crooks and the Law Society protectors of crooked lawyers are the catalyst for what is happening. A building with weak foundations will collapse, this principle applies to the Law Society too, it's weakness is the chronic self denial of it's staff, especially the top brass.

To Lorna and her colleagues. Please keep protecting your members because you are so stained with corruption it is impossible now to redeem yourselves.

Saving Private Penmann and others will ultimatley result in the obliteration of the Law Society of Scotland. Clients complaining about their crooked lawyer, it would be like the Jewish people complaining to Hitler about their persecution before the holocaust. Complaining to the Law Society about a crooked lawyer results in more persecution for the client, as Phillip Yelland who sent the farmer to the legal defence union lawyers knows only to well. William Wallace would not have been compassionate with these criminals, who are the antithesis of honesty and decency. Clients complaining to the Law Society, are wasting their time, because the Societies idea of justice is to protect lawyers, nothing else.

Anonymous said...

A spokeswoman for a consumer group countered the statement from the Law Society's Chief Executive & the President.

She said : "Even in the financial downturn, the Law Society still has a duty to protect clients interests – a duty which is clearly not being achieved (A DUTY IS DOES NOT WANT TO ACHIEVE, LAWYERS WILL NEVER PROTECT THE PUBLIC BY EXPOSING CORRUPT LAWYERS). In reality there is little motive on the Law Society's part to deliver any benefits for the public which may impact on the profits of its members, whose interests always come first." (THIS IS WHY WE MUST NEVER TRUST LAWYERS, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT US NEVER WILL. BRING ON MACENZIE FRIENDS.

I HOPE THOSE WHO LOSE THEIR JOBS AT THE LAW SOCIETY, LOSE THEIR HOUSES, GET STITCHED UP BY THE LAW SOCIETY, AND ARE SOLICITOR BARRED LIKE US. NOW YOU WILL BE LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD. THE BASTARDS YOU WORKED FOR WILL INSTRUCT LAW FIRMS NOT TO HELP YOU, IN CLAIMS FOR UNFAIR DISMISSAL ETC. SCREW YOU LOT, POETIC JUSTICE THAT IS WHAT THIS IS, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AWAITS YOU AND I FEEL NO COMPASSION FOR YOU LAWYER LOVING FOOLS.

Anonymous said...

Good to know they are all fighting among themselves now.

Scum the lot of them !

Anonymous said...

A client of a solicitor who has lodged a complaint with the SLCC and is currently experiencing severe difficulties in getting the commission to properly investigate their case said

"Even if they have 500 people working at the SLCC all they will do is see to it that bent lawyers get off with a slap on the wrist or the usual complaints whitewash we get from the Law Society."

CORRECT, THE SLCC IS A FRONT FOR MACASKILLS CROOKS TO CONTINUE PROTECTING HIS COLLEAGUES, THEY SHOULD ALL BE HUNG ON MEAT HOOKS AND LEFT TO ROT. WE STILL HAVE A TWO TIER SYSTEM IN SCOTLAND, INJUSTICE FOR CLIENTS, COVERUPS TO PROTECT CROOKED LAWYERS. THEY CALL THIS A JUSTICE SYSTEM, A SYSTEM OF CRIMINALITY TO PROTECT LAWYERS IS A MORE ACCURATE DESCRIPTION.

Diary of Injustice said...

Thanks for all your comments & emails.

From a source this morning (Friday) there are claims the Law Society wanted to put the blame for the whole redundancy story on the SLCC but the numbers involved made that gesture look stupid.

However, a source close to the SLCC contacted me concerned that the Law Society are trying to find places at the SLCC for the ex Law Society staff ... so interesting times ahead.

If the Law Society of Scotland are serious about saving money they should ditch most of their self appointed directors and all their staff who have contributed to keeping crooked lawyers in their posts .. but on the strength of the complaints statistics over the past 20 years ... around 5000 plus complaints a year made against less than 10,000 solicitor making around 13 complaints a day, sacking all those involved in this 'protection racket' would probably leave no one left at the Law Society of Scotland .. and wouldn't we all be happy at that !

Anonymous said...

Thirteen complaints a day against crooked lawyers, five thousand a year, over 20 twenty years, we have 100,000 complaints. Evidence from scandals show lawyers and the Law Society driven to protect lawyers.

The Master Policy NEVER compensates victims of crooked lawyers. With statistics like these The Law Society of Scotland should be disbanded, and Douglas Mill and his band of criminals prosecuted for perverting the course of justice.

Self regulation is wonderful for lawyers, (THAT IS WHY THEY WANT TO KEEP IT) what about the countless victims of these criminals over the years? Clients who had and still have no chance against criminals who masquerade as honest professionals, and hide behind a criminal complaints system supported by the SNP.

Anonymous said...

Clients complaining about their crooked lawyer, it would be like the Jewish people complaining to Hitler about their persecution before the holocaust.

This is correct and persecution is illegal in the UK, unless you are the victim of a self regulator.

Legal persecution is the policy of the SLCC and Law Society, and protecting criminals in Scotland is legal for lawyers, doctors, accountants etc. That is why lawyers cannot keep the keys to the court doors, and only open those doors for profit. They may as well be locked if a member of the public has been ruined by a lawyer. Injustice will remain as long as these so called professional bodies have a stranglehold on who is entitled to justice and who is not.

Anonymous said...

The Law Society is facing job cuts due to lawyers demands for cheaper annual practising certificate. That is rich, we clients demand decent legal services providers, forget the lawyers, we want McKenzie Friends because no layperson in Scotland has a lawyer friend.

Trust a lawyer at your own risk with great emphasis on the word RISK. Would you want to be part of a lottery where your finances, health, life will be ruined? Welcome to The Law Society of Scotland and it's 10,000 members from hell. Deal with these rats and you risk losing everything, because their masters will make sure their crooked members lose nothing. Do not be fooled by the new Commission either, they are as bend as their masters.

Anonymous said...

I am not making excuses for lawyers, I hate them.

A lawyer who exposed a colleague as corrupt would be persecuted by the 10,000. This is another reason self regulation cannot continue, it is a passport for lawyers criminal activity being covered up.

To the staff at the Law Society who will lose their jobs, screw you, we may meet in the jobcentre.

Anonymous said...

A senior solicitor from one of Edinburgh's leading law firms today commented on the Law Society's 'savings plans', calling them "an overpaid bunch of high living wasters carrying out another exercise at self preservation at the expense of the membership."

I have news for you, all solicitors are wasters, I am sure the senior lawyer above has been protected from complaints by those wasters he refers to. All self regulators are wasters, wasters of clients lives.

Anonymous said...

AOL NEWS

GPs: Car insurance 'fakers' rising
posted : FRIDAY, 7TH AUGUST 2009 15:16:00

The number of people faking injury in order to claim compensation is on the rise, a survey of GPs has revealed. I AGREE WITH THIS, BUT GP'S ARE CRIMINALS TOO.

The most common way of "trying it on" is to claim a whiplash injury from a car accident, the survey by LV= car insurance found. AH INSURERS, LAWYERS, DOCTORS, WHAT A LOAD OF CRIMINALS THESE ARE.

Nearly all (98%) of GPs said they had seen a patient they thought was exaggerating an injury to get compensation and 65% of GPs have seen an increase in "fakers" over the past 10 years. JUST LIKE GP's EXAGGERATE OR LIE ABOUT PATIENTS IN THEIR MEDICAL RECORDS TO STOP A LITIGATION CASE WHEN SOMEONE IS INJURED. ALL DOCTORS, LAWYERS, EMPLOYERS INSURED BY ROYAL & SUN ALLIANCE, SO THE MEDICAL EVIDENCE WILL FAVOUR THE EMPLOYER. WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT ACCORDING TO THIS SURVEY SOME PATIENTS ARE DISHONEST. WELL THAT IS RICH COMING FROM THESE CRIMINALS. ALL GP'S LIE IN PATIENTS MEDICAL RECORDS IF THERE IS FINANCIAL GAIN FOR DOCTORS OR THEIR INSURERS.

A WORD OF WARNING TO DRIVERS. GIVE A FRIEND A LIFT TO WORK, IF YOUR'E IN AN ACCIDENT, YOUR FRIEND MAY BE YOUR ENEMY BY CLAIMING AGAINST YOUR INSURANCE POLICY, YOUR NO CLAIMS DISCOUNT IS GONE, LET THE FRIEND GET THE BUS AND AVOID THIS.

LAWYERS ARE WAITING WITH THEIR NO WIN NO FEE OFFERS TO RIP THE SHIT OUT OF DRIVERS SO THEY CAN GET YOUR PASSENGER DAMAGES, 20% FOR PASSENGER, 80% FOR THE NO WIN NO FEE LAWYER. YOUR INSURERS NEED TO RECOUP THEIR COSTS, YOUR PREMIUM GOES THROUGH THE ROOF. THE GREATER THE DAMAGES THE GREATER THE LAWYERS REWARD. QUANTUM CLAIMS IS ONE EXAMPLE ON THE TV.

NO WIN NO FEE, HOW MANY LAW FIRMS ADVERTISE THIS SERVICE TO HELP VICTIMS OF CROOKED LAWYERS? THE NO WIN NO FEE ADVERTS EVERYWHERE TELL CLIENTS WHAT MOTIVATES THIS LEGAL SCUM.

Anonymous said...

A senior solicitor from one of Edinburgh's leading law firms today commented on the Law Society's 'savings plans', calling them "an overpaid bunch of high living wasters carrying out another exercise at self preservation at the expense of the membership."

To quote this senior solicitor with my ammendments "carrying out another exercise at self preservation at the expense of the clients." That is self regulation in a nutshell, and this hypocrite complains about the top brass at the Law Society, when his ten thousand colleagues do the same to clients. Every lawyer in Scotland is a waster, criminals who can never be trusted, that is why we need professional non legal help in court, McKenzie Friends, then the Law Society and law firms will get rid of staff, because many will have no clients.

Lawyers have created this situation by their own criminal ways, to the extent that the public are getting wise to the crooks we have dealt with. My advice to the public is simple, trust a lawyer and you deserve all you get, because there is mountains of evidence out there to convince you they are all a self protecting crooked unit, who's primary purpose in life is screwing clients out of everything they have. Independent regulation would stop this in it's tracks, but the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, are not the people to do this.

Scotland's legal establishment have dangerous power, and they know their masters will always protect them. Lorna Jack, you are one of those wasters, and self regulation is the criminal business model you all use to rob clients. There is NO CONSUMER PROTECTION with the Law Society or SLCC. The latter like the persuers panel are Law Society fronts, purporting to protect clients but will allways look after lawyers.

Law Society staff, welcome to the UB40 club.

Anonymous said...

You should read David Flint's comments in the Scotsman earlier this week on the Law Society's 'savings plan' - he too thinks the cuts should come from the top.

Anonymous said...

A legal insider expressed dismay at the latest recruitment drive at the SLCC, saying "How many people do this lot need to do their job when all they do is pass complaints back to the Law Society to investigate. The SLCC is a waste of time & money for consumers and the profession who are paying for it."

Correct, the politicians who set this up should be hung, drawn and quartered. What is the point in the SLCC website stating they are independent, when they pass complaints back to the Law Society to investigate. The SLCC is a pointless expolitation of taxpayers, with no teeth for dealing with Scotland's ten thousand specialist criminals.

It is like spending money on a child protection agency, and then passing intelligence on paedophiles to other paedophiles to investigate the child abuse. Barking mad.

The politicians are window dressers, they want to protect crooked lawyers, and the current setup provide ample evidence to support this claim. The SLCC are culturally the same and the Law Society. Nothing has changed.

Anonymous said...

High cost of protecting crooked lawyers brings jobs cuts at Law Society of Scotland while Legal Complaints Commission goes on recruitment drive.

So the Law Society are getting rid of some of their criminals and the Commission are recruiting more crooks, something fishy going on here.

Anonymous said...

Current Law Society Chief Exec took over from Douglas Mill who is ‘blamed by many for the poor state of Scotland’s legal profession.

Lorna, Dougie has a place for you at Glasgow University, might as well go now because we will find out you are crooked, it is only a matter of time, and take Yelland with you.

Glasgow university law school specializes in triaining crooked lawyers, that is why they hired Mill. Ain't that right Dougie?

Anonymous said...

Very impressed with your blog Peter.I think the Law Society should be closed down after reading through some of your stuff.God knows what the true toll of their victims really is.

Keep up the good work you and all !

Anonymous said...

"Even in the financial downturn, the Law Society still has a duty to protect clients interests. This statement is true but who will enforce it?

The Law Society is an anti client society, and even if they have the above duty, it means nothing to them.

I am convinced that there is not one lawyer on this planet that will look after any clients interests before their own, especially where a lawyer will be ruined.

Diary of Injustice said...

Thanks for your continuing comments & emails on this issue.

I note that, apart from solicitors, there is no support for the Law Society's responsibilities to be broken up between the local bar associations ...

If the Law Society has to continue in existence, it should be little more than a trade union for solicitors ... with all elements of regulation & discipline taken out of its hands and given to a completely independent regulator.

For those who have suggested I myself put in to join the SLCC .. that will never happen.I have no confidence in the organisation ... it is nothing more than a front for the Law Society and never will be anything else.

I would urge anyone in contact with the SLCC not to trust their investigation or decision making process in complaints handling ... and better still, publicise all communications between themselves and the SLCC so that others can learn from what is going on behind closed doors.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Jane Irvine will be pleased to hear your high opinion of her puppet quango!

Anonymous said...

BBC News from 2007

A solicitor has been found guilty of professional misconduct for making fake and inflated legal aid claims.

Paul Kirk, 48, from Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, made thousands of pounds by double-charging and claiming false expenses.

The Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal, who looked at the case, fined Kirk the maximum of £10,000. (I AM A JOINER, IF I TRIED THIS THE SHERIFFS AT HAMILTON SHERIFF COURT WOULD JAIL ME, ONE LAW FOR THE LAYMAN, ANOTHER FOR LAWYERS. LIKE MP'S HE WAS STEALING TAXPAYERS MONEY, ONE IS CALLED STEALING LEGAL AID, THE OTHER IS MP'S STEALING OUR MONEY BY CALLING THE THEFT EXPENSES.

However, because he was no longer registered as a praticising solicitor it could take no further action.

The disciplinary tribunal said it lacked the power to properly discipline the lawyer. THE ESTABLISHMENT IN THE UK DO NOT WANT TO PROSECUTE LAWYERS, AS MANY INSTANCES CONFIRM THIS, SHERIFF NEILSON RESIGNED ALSO SO THEY COULD NOT DISCIPLINE HIM.

It wants legislation which would create tougher penalties for rogue solicitors. WELL TRIBUNAL, YOU ARE LAWYERS, ASK MACASKILL, TOTAL AND UTTER BULLSHIT.

Anonymous said...

I would urge anyone in contact with the SLCC not to trust their investigation or decision making process in complaints handling ... and better still, publicise all communications between themselves and the SLCC so that others can learn from what is going on behind closed doors.

I totally agree with you Peter, the SLCC is the Law Society with a different name.

Where some professional's career will end up in tatters, cover up is the order of the day, be it medicine, law, accountancy.

Medical records on the internet, if it happens, countless GP's will be cutting out chunks of information, they are also a crooked lot.

Imagine getting your medical records with many paragraphs redacted.

Anonymous said...

I heard on the news that doctors refuse to go for mental health checks because of the stigma.

Strange, I have never seen my doctor's medical records, have you?

They must believe the have mental health problems, and why not, are they biologically, and psychologically different from the rest of the human race? On a more serious note, look at Dr Shipman a man who believed until the day he died there was nothing wrong with him. There will be more out there, the NHS lottery no patient wants to win.

Anonymous said...

BBC NEWS

Last Updated: Monday, 13 June 2005, 12:33 GMT 13:33 UK

Intoxication 'rife among doctors'
Dr Thomas Kenny is a recovering alcoholic.

The British Medical Association has called for action over alcohol and drug abuse among medics after a BBC survey showed the problem was widespread. (SCARY)

BBC One's Real Story found over the last 10 years 750 hospital staff in England had been disciplined over alcohol and drug-related incidents.

The BMA estimates one in 15 medics have a problem with drugs or alcohol at some point in their life-time.

Ethics Committee chairman Michael Wilks said the profession was in denial. (A TRAIT IN THE LAW SOCIETY AND SLCC TOO. TOTAL DENIAL THAT LAWYERS DO WRONG).

Doctors are known to be at least three times as likely to have cirrhosis of the liver - a sign of alcohol damage - than the rest of the population.

This is second only to publicans and bar staff.

Dr Wilks said: "You've got a profession that doesn't want to face up to the fact that it's got a problem in the ranks.

"You've got levels of denial that make it virtually impossible for an alcoholic doctor to be helped.

I HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE, SELF REGULATORS AND DENIAL GO HAND IN HAND, THEY KID THEMSELVES ON EVERYTHING IS SATISFACTORY WHEN THE CONVERSE IS THE CASE.

Anonymous said...

More on this in the hootsmon today :http://business.scotsman.com/legalissues/Analysis-Inevitable-job-cuts-leave.5537453.jp

Hope the Law Society goes broke and they all get sacked !!!!!!!! DELIGHTED AT THE NEWS !!!!!!