Skip to content
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
  • Home
  • Your complaint
    • Your complaint
    • Start your complaint
    • Online Complaint Form
      • Online Complaint Form
      • Step 1
      • Step 2
      • Step 3
      • Step 4
      • Step 5
      • Step 6
      • Step 7
      • Submission Temporarily Unavailable
      • Online complaint form temporarily unavailable
    • Case studies
      • Case studies
      • Amy's story
      • Nisha's story
      • Jackie's story
      • Colin's story
      • Amir's story
      • Rachel and Matt
      • Paul's story
      • Ryan's story
    • Complaints Process
      • Complaints Process
      • Eligibility
      • Mediation
        • Mediation
      • Investigation
      • Determination
    • Action we might take
    • Appeal a decision
    • Further information
      • Further information
      • Time limits
      • Third Party Complaints
      • Complaining to a lawyer
        • Complaining to a lawyer
        • Complaint template letters
      • Need advice?
      • Complaint forms
      • Fees and billing
      • My lawyer has gone out of business
    • Other types of complaint
      • Other types of complaint
      • Handling complaints
        • Handling complaints
        • What is a handling complaint?
        • When can I complain
        • Handling complaint process
        • Action we might take on a handling complaint
        • Our recommendations
        • Make a handling complaint
          • Make a handling complaint
          • Handling Complaint
            • Handling Complaint
      • Approved Regulator complaints
        • Approved Regulator complaints
        • What is an Approved Regulator complaint?
        • When can I make an Approved Regulator complaint?
        • Approved Regulator complaint process
        • What action can we take?
        • Make an Approved Regulator complaint
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • For lawyers
    • For lawyers
    • Guidance advice and tips
      • Guidance advice and tips
      • Preventing complaints
        • Preventing complaints
        • Competence
        • Communications
        • Diligence
        • Respect
      • Improve your complaints process - statutory guidance
        • Improve your complaints process - statutory guidance
        • Introduction to this guidance
        • How do the Law Society Rules and Guidance link together?
        • Why use this Guidance?
        • 6 principles of good complaint handling
          • 6 principles of good complaint handling
          • Principle 1 - An accessible process
          • Principle 2 - A user-focused process
          • Principle 3 - A timely process
          • Principle 4 - An objective process
          • Principle 5 - Focus on resolution
          • Principle 6 - Learning from complaints
        • The Complaints Levy
      • Practical tips to help you answer complaints
        • Practical tips to help you answer complaints
        • Engage
        • Explore
        • Respond
      • If we receive a complaint about you
        • If we receive a complaint about you
        • Complaints Process
      • Complaints training
      • Stay up to date
      • Best Practice Blog
      • Tools and resources for lawyers
        • Tools and resources for lawyers
        • Complaint log template
        • Complaint analysis tool
        • Terms of Business report
        • Price transparency report
    • The SLCC levy
    • Handling complaints - for lawyers
  • For consumers
    • For consumers
    • What to expect when using a lawyer
    • Consumer guides
      • Consumer guides
      • Buying and Selling a property
        • Buying and Selling a property
      • Making a will
        • Making a will
      • Executries
        • Executries
      • Family law
        • Family law
      • Charged with a crime
        • Charged with a crime
    • Legal words explained
    • Useful Links
  • About us
    • About us
    • Who we are
      • Who we are
      • Our Board
        • Our Board
        • Board Meeting Minutes
        • Responsibilities of Members
      • Senior staff
      • Our annual report
        • Our annual report
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Chair Foreword
        • 2023-24 Annual Report CEO’s introduction
        • 2023-24 Annual Report The SLCC at a glance
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our 2020-24 strategy
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our Board
        • 2023-24 Annual Report SLCC Consumer Panel
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our performance and improvement
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our customer service and accessibility
        • 2023-24 Annual Report You said, we did
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our oversight and outreach work
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our work on policy and reform
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our organisation
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our people
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our contribution to national performance
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our statistics
        • 2023-24 Annual Report CEO’s closing remarks
        • Previous annual reports
          • Previous annual reports
          • SLCC annual report 2022-23
            • SLCC annual report 2022-23
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Chair Foreword
            • 2022-23 Annual Report CEO’s introduction
            • 2022-23 Annual Report The SLCC at a glance
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our Board
            • 2022-23 Annual Report SLCC Consumer Panel
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our performance and improvement
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our customer service and accessibility
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our oversight and outreach work
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our work on policy and reform
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our organisation
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our people
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our contribution to national performance
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our statistics
            • 2022-23 Annual Report CEO’s closing remarks
          • SLCC Annual Report 2021-22
            • SLCC Annual Report 2021-22
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Chair Foreword
            • 2021-22 Annual Report CEO’s introduction
            • 2021-22 Annual Report The SLCC at a glance
            • 2021-22 Annual Report A year of change and more to come
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our Board
            • 2021-22 Annual Report SLCC Consumer Panel
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our performance and improvement
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our customer service and accessibility
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our oversight and outreach work
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our people
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our contribution to national performance
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our statistics
            • 2021-22 Annual Report CEO’s closing remarks
          • SLCC Annual Report 2020-21
            • SLCC Annual Report 2020-21
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Chair Foreword
            • 2020-21 Annual Report CEO’s introduction
            • 2020-21 Annual Report The SLCC at a glance
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our Board
            • 2020-21 Annual Report SLCC Consumer Panel
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our ongoing response to Covid-19
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our customer service and accessibility
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our focus on early resolution
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our process improvement
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our staff and industrial relations
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our outreach and oversight work
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our contribution to national performance
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our statistics
            • 2020-21 Annual Report CEO’s closing remarks
      • Our Strategy and Operating Plan
      • Our Performance
        • Our Performance
        • Past quarters performance
          • Past quarters performance
          • Q4 23-24
          • Q3 23-24
          • Q2 23-24
          • Q1 23-24
          • Q4 22-23
          • Q3 22-23
          • Q2 22-23
          • Q1 22-23
          • Q4 21-22
          • Q3 21-22
          • Q2 21-22
          • Q1 21-22
          • Q4 20-21
          • Q3 20-21
          • Q2 20-21
          • Q1 20-21
          • Q4 19-20
          • Q3 19-20
          • 2009-18 Performance Archive
            • 2009-18 Performance Archive
            • How to read our Statistics
      • Oversight & Research
        • Oversight & Research
        • Research & trends in practice
          • Research & trends in practice
          • Client Protection Fund
          • Master Policy
        • Audits & Trends Analysis
          • Audits & Trends Analysis
          • Law Society of Scotland trends analysis and audits
          • Faculty of Advocates trends analysis and audits
      • Our History
        • Our History
        • Our 15th anniversary
        • 15 Years Staff Stories
        • 15 years data
      • Equality
      • Reimagine Regulation
        • Reimagine Regulation
        • History of our proposals and the debate on regulatory reform
        • Our papers and articles on regulatory reform
    • How we are funded
      • How we are funded
      • Our budget
      • Previous budgets
        • Previous budgets
        • Previous budget consultations
          • Previous budget consultations
          • Budget 2008-2009
          • Budget 2009-2010
          • Budget 2010-2011
          • Budget 2011-2012
          • Budget 2012-2013
          • Budget 2013-2014
          • Budget 2014-2015
          • Budget 2015-2016
          • Budget 2016-2017
          • Budget 2017-2018
          • Budget 2018-2019
          • Budget 2019-2020
          • Budget 2020-2021 and strategy 2020-24
          • Budget 2021-2022
          • Budget 2022-2023
          • Budget 2023-2024
          • Budget 2024-2025
          • Budget 2025-2026
      • Our annual accounts
      • Previous annual accounts
    • Consumer Panel
      • Consumer Panel
      • About the Panel
      • Panel members
      • Consumer principles
      • Meeting minutes
      • Vulnerable consumers
      • Registers of Interest
      • Consultations and briefings
      • Demographics
    • Careers at the SLCC
      • Careers at the SLCC
      • Current vacancies
      • Job Applicants’ Privacy Notice
    • Rules, policies and publications
      • Rules, policies and publications
      • Our Rules
      • Policies
      • Previous versions of Rules
      • Updated SLCC Rules from 1 April 2023
      • Biodiversity Reporting
      • Board member expenses
      • Board Member Register of Interests
      • Board Standing Orders
      • Commissioners Payments and Reimbursement of Expenses Scheme
      • Gender Representation on Public Boards
      • Gifts & Hospitality Registers
      • Members' Code of Conduct
      • Public Services Reform Act
      • Risk Management Policy
      • Scheme of Delegation
      • Staff Code of Conduct
      • The SLCC's Governance Arrangements
      • Trade Union Facilitation Time
      • Law Society of Scotland consultation on price transparency
      • Law Society of Scotland consultation on Principles and Outcomes Focused Regulation
      • Law Society of Scotland consultations on Regulation in the 21st Century
      • May 2020 - Developing Scotland’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy consultation
      • Post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
      • Response to the Scottish Government consultation: Legal services regulation reform in Scotland
      • Response to the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal Rules Consultation 2019
      • Scottish Government Consultation on Scottish Court Fees
      • Scottish Government Consultation on the Draft Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Bill
      • Scottish Government’s consultation on the Licensed Providers Regulatory Scheme proposed by the Law Society of Scotland
      • SLCC response to Law Society of Scotland strategy themes consultation
      • 02 July 2019 SSDT consultation on standard of proof
      • Our legal panel
      • SLCC Equalities Report, May 2025
    • Privacy
      • Privacy
      • Privacy Notice
      • Under 16s' Privacy Notice
      • Cookies List
    • Sitemap
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • Accessibility
      • Accessibility
      • Other languages
      • Accessibility Statement
    • Freedom of Information
      • Freedom of Information
      • Exemptions
      • Charges
      • Right to Appeal
      • Environmental Requests
      • Reuse of Public Sector Information
      • Published Freedom of Information Responses
    • Our communication standards
    • Service Delivery Complaints
      • Service Delivery Complaints
      • CEO and Board complaints
    • Feedback
  1. Home
  2. About us
  3. Who we are
  4. Reimagine Regulation
  5. History of our proposals and the debate on regulatory reform

History of our proposals and the debate on regulatory reform

Reimagine Regulation - SLCC priorities for a consultation on legal services regulation (2016)

In July 2016 we published our original proposals for reform: Reimagine Regulation - SLCC priorities for a consultation on legal services regulation. This set out six key priority areas we believed the government should consult on in delivering their commitment to launch a 'consultation to review legal regulation'. The changes would benefit both consumers and lawyers, by:

  1. Unravelling the current complex complaints maze
  2. Reducing statutory detail that focuses on processes, not outcomes for people
  3. Ensuring that when redress is awarded the client receives it
  4. Targeting risk, and not seeing all legal services as the same
  5. Embedding the consumer principles
  6. Learning from complaints and data to improve future outcomes

The proposals were contained in a legislative change paper and accompanying appendices.

Fit for the Future - Report of the Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation in Scotland (2017-18)

We were delighted that our paper was acknowledged by the independent review of the regulation of legal services, which we publicly welcomed when it was established in April 2017.

To assist the first meeting of the review we created a summary of our original documents, updated in light of feedback we had received since publication and new issues which had become visible in the current model.

At the start of 2018 we responded to the review’s call for evidence, submitting a model for reform that summarised and consolidated two years of reflection and engagement since the publication of our original papers. A two page summary sets the agenda for change, with appendices providing a little more detail, in particular on issues that have arisen since our original papers.

We welcomed the review's recommendations when it published its report in October 2018. Scottish Government published its response to the review in June 2019 and we welcomed the continued commitment to reform.

Public views on legal regulation (2019)

In September 2019 we published the results of a poll of the Scottish public on what they looked for in good regulation. It found that the public preferred the types of model of independent regulation most other regulated sectors have moved to over the last quarter of century, and highlighted public concerns that a body with both regulatory and representative functions could not deal with complaints about lawyers fairly. It also showed significant public support for greater accountability and transparency in the regulatory system.

Competition and Markets Authority Scottish legal services research (2020)

In March 2020 we welcomed the publication of research carried out by the CMA into legal services in Scotland. The CMA made a number of recommendations to improve the information made available to people to make it easier for them to shop around for legal advice and for regulatory reforms, including that an independent body regulates legal services in Scotland.

Potential improvements to the legal complaints system (2021)

In early 2021 Scottish Government consulted on proposals to make improvements to the legal complaints system, within the current legislative framework of the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007. These were designed to deliver shorter term improvements to the way in which complaints are handled, using powers available to Scottish Ministers under section 41 of the 2007 Act.

We responded to the consultation in support of the proposals but noted that they fell short of much needed wider reform. The consultation analysis was published in July 2021.

New Parliament (2021)

Following the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections, we wrote to all MSPs with information about the SLCC and a guide to assist with constituency casework. We also shared a briefing, Ready for Reform, outlining our proposals for improvements to the regulatory and complaint system.

Legal services regulation reform in Scotland (2021-22)

In late 2021 Scottish Government consulted on three potential models designed to lead to improvements to the transparency and accountability in the way in which legal services are regulated, and the legal complaints system operates in Scotland.

We welcomed and responded to the consultation. The consultation analysis was published in July 2022. Scottish Government published a statement in December 2022 responding to the consultation analysis and outlining a revised regulatory model, which we welcomed.

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill (2023)

The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 20 April 2023. The Bill updates the regulation of legal services in Scotland and provides for a modernised regulatory framework. We welcomed the Bill and committed to working with others to support the Bill’s passage through Parliament and implementing its provisions.

Additional

In this section

  • History of our proposals and the debate on regulatory reform
  • Our papers and articles on regulatory reform
Complaints
  • Start your complaint
  • Handling complaints
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Service Delivery Complaints
Information and Privacy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Policy
  • Freedom of Information
  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility Statement
Accessibility
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
Capital Building, 12-13 St Andrew Square
Edinburgh
EH2 2AF
enquiries@scottishlegalcomplaints.org.uk
Tel 0131 201 2130
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
Copyright © 2025 Scottish Legal Complaints Commission