Client Protection Fund
The Client Protection Fund is the operating name of the Scottish Solicitors' Guarantee Fund. It exists to protect clients who have lost money because of the dishonesty of a solicitor or a member of their staff. The fund is paid for entirely by an annual levy paid by solicitor firms and is managed and run by the Law Society of Scotland.
As part of our oversight function we have the ability to monitor and make recommendations on the effectiveness (including improvement) of the Client Protection Fund to the Law Society of Scotland.
The SLCC has undertaken various projects to date in relation to this area of its oversight:
Client Protection Fund Review 2025
In June 2025 we published a review of the Client Protection Fund, drawing on documentation and discussions with relevant staff at the Law Society of Scotland. We concluded that the Fund operates well overall, but made three recommendations for improvement.
Guarantee Fund claims
In 2012, an audit was undertaken by the SLCC of Guarantee Fund claims.
Guarantee Fund Reports
In 2011 two distinct projects were commissioned in relation to the Guarantee Fund to look at (a) the experience of claimants, and (b) a statistical analysis of claims.
Research Report July 2009
In 2009 the SLCC commissioned the University of Manchester to undertake research into a comparison of the differences in perceptions of the Fund and the Master Policy between legal practitioners and members of the public.
