Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980

31 Offence for unqualified persons to pretend to be solicitor or notary public. S

[F1 (1)] Any F2 . . . person (including a body corporate) who [F3 , not having the relevant qualification,]either by himself or together with others, wilfully and falsely—

(a) pretends to be a solicitor or notary public; or

[F4 (aa) pretends to be a registered European lawyer; or]

[F5 (ab) pretends to be a registered foreign lawyer; or]

(b) takes or uses any name, title, addition or description implying that he is duly qualified to act as a solicitor or a notary public [F6 [F7 , registered European lawyer or registered foreign lawyer], as the case may be,] or recognised by law as so qualified;

shall be guilty of an offence.

• [F8 In this section, “ F2 ... person” does not include an incorporated practice].

[F9 (2) Any person (including a body corporate) who either by himself or together with others, wilfully and falsely—

(a) pretends to be an incorporated practice;

(b) takes or uses any name, title, addition or description implying that he is an incorporated practice,

shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) F10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 31 renumbered as subsection (1) of that section by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 76:2), s. 56, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 8

F2 Word in s. 31(1) repealed (22.5.2000) by S.S.I. 2000/121, regs. 1(1), 37(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(8)(a)

F3 Words in s. 31(1) inserted (22.5.2000) by S.S.I. 2000/121, regs. 1(1), 37(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(8)(b)

F4 S. 31(1)(aa) inserted (22.5.2000) by S.S.I. 2000/121, regs. 1(1), 37(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(8)(c)

F5 S. 31(1)(ab) inserted (1.10.2004) by The Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 (Foreign Lawyers and Multi-national Practices) Regulations (S.S.I. 2004/383), {reg. 6(a)}

F6 Words in s. 31(1)(b) inserted (22.5.2000) by S.S.I. 2000/121, regs. 1(1), 37(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(8)(d)

F7 Words in s. 31(1)(b) substituted (1.10.2004) by The Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 (Foreign Lawyers and Multi-national Practices) Regulations (S.S.I. 2004/383), {reg. 6(b)}

F8 Words inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 76:2), s. 56, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 8(a)

F9 S. 31(2)(3) inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 76:2), s. 56, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 8(b)

F10 S. 31(3) repealed (3.6.1991) by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 (c. 40, SIF 76:2), s. 74, Sch. 9; S.I. 1991/1252, art. 3, Sch. 1

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 31 amended by Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48, SIF 67A), s. 278(2)(3)

C2 S. 31 modified (31.10.1994) by 1994 c. 26, s. 86(2); S.I. 1994/2550, art. 2