(1)Any rule, whether made before or after the coming into force of this section, whereby an advocate is prohibited from forming a legal relationship with another advocate or with any other person for the purpose of their jointly offering professional services to the public shall have no effect unless it is approved by the Lord President and the Secretary of State; and before approving any such rule the Secretary of State shall consult the Director in accordance with section 40 of this Act.
(2)Where it appears to the Faculty of Advocates that any rule of conduct in relation to the exercise of an advocate’s right of audience in the Court of Session is more restrictive than the equivalent rule in relation to the exercise of the equivalent right in the sheriff court, they may submit that rule to the Secretary of State for his approval, and the Secretary of State shall consult the Director in accordance with section 40 of this Act, and thereafter, having—
(a)considered any advice tendered to him by the Director;
(b)compared the rule applicable in the Court of Session with the equivalent rule applicable in the sheriff court; and
(c)considered whether the interests of justice require that there should be such a rule in the Court of Session,
he may approve or refuse to approve the rule.
(3)In section 34 of the 1980 Act (rules as to professional practice, conduct and discipline)—
(a)at the end of subsection (1A) there shall be inserted— “and
(f)make such additional or different provision as the Council think fit in relation to solicitors who, or incorporated practices which, are partners in or directors of multi-disciplinary practices.”; and
(b)after subsection (3) there shall be inserted—
“(3A)Without prejudice to subsection (3), any rule made, whether before or after the coming into force of this subsection, by the Council under this section or section 35 which has the effect of prohibiting the formation of multi-disciplinary practices shall not have effect unless the Secretary of State, after consulting the Director in accordance with section 64A, has approved it.”.