Reimagine Regulation

We've been making proposals for reform since 2016 to create a regulatory system fit for the future – one that works for legal service users and providers, and meets society’s need for a well-functioning legal services market. 

The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 20 April 2023 and passed on 20 May 2025. The Bill updates the regulation of legal services in Scotland.

While the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025 did not deliver the fundamental reform we believe is required, we welcomed the changes it brings as a significant step forward. We’ve worked with government, MSPs and other stakeholders to make them as strong and effective as possible.

Our priority now is implementing these important changes to achieve those benefits for both consumers and lawyers. We will continue to call for reform when we believe that is helpful and necessary. 

You can read more about the history of our proposals and the debate on regulatory reform and read our published papers and articles.  

Our proposals for reform 

The current arrangements for legal complaints, and how complaint outcomes are used to improve standards in the legal sector, are too complex, involve too many stages, and pass through too many organisations.  Faster, more efficient, and better targeted regulation can be delivered, to the benefit of consumers and the sector, by significant legislative reform.

We believe the overall goal of reform should be better outcomes for consumers and the legal market achieved through agile, future proof, responsive and proportionate regulation that manages risks, aids choice, improves quality of services and is transparent and accountable in its operation. We've identified five key aspects to this:

  • Delivering a better statutory framework: simple, understandable, agile, proportionate, affordable, fair
  • Enabling a focus on the needs of consumers and clients, including reducing risk and improving quality: using data sharing, co-production, and consumer research to identify issues, and then target interventions
  • Affording opportunities to innovate, and delivering greater and more informed choice: legal services can be provided in a variety of ways and innovation is encouraged, leading to greater consumer choice and a sustainable market
  • Increasing trust and confidence in regulation and the sector: an independent, transparent and accountable model, with joined-up and co-ordinated ‘end to end’ regulation and redress
  • Ensuring better protection and faster redress: a single gateway, enabling fast and proportionate processes, ensuring redress is received when appropriate, and avoiding duplication and delay.

You can read more about our views on reform in our published papers and articles.  

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