Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007

Membership of the Commission S

2 (1) The Commission is to consist of the following members—

(a) a person to chair the Commission (“the chairing member”); and

(b) 8 other members.

(2) Members are appointed by the Scottish Ministers, having consulted the Lord President of the Court of Session (“the Lord President”).

(3) The chairing member and 4 other members of the Commission must be members (in this schedule referred to as “non-lawyer members”) who are not within any of the categories mentioned in sub-paragraph (6).

(4) There must be 4 members of the Commission (in this schedule referred to as “lawyer members”) who are within any of the categories mentioned in sub-paragraph (6).

(5) Of the lawyer members 3 must have practised within any, or any combination, of the categories mentioned in sub-paragraph (6) for at least 10 years.

(6) The categories are—

(a) solicitors;

(b) advocates;

(c) conveyancing practitioners or executry practitioners;

(d) persons exercising a right to conduct litigation or a right of audience acquired by virtue of section 27 of the 1990 Act.

(7) The Scottish Ministers may, subject to sub-paragraphs (8) and (9), by order amend—

(a) sub-paragraph (1)(b) to alter the number of other members referred to there;

(b) sub-paragraph (3) to alter the number of other members referred to there;

(c) sub-paragraph (4) to alter the number of members referred to there;

(d) sub-paragraph (5) to alter the number of lawyer members referred to there.

(8) The number of non-lawyer members must be greater than the number of lawyer members.

(9) The number of—

(a) non-lawyer members must be no fewer than 4 and no greater than 8;

(b) lawyer members must be no fewer than 3 and no greater than 7.