Minister says 'Tesco Law' is a necessary change to legal system

Published on Wednesday 28 April 2010 23:03

A PROPOSED overhaul of the legal profession in Scotland dubbed "Tesco Law" is a "necessary change", community safety minister Fergus Ewing has told MSPs.

Yesterday he hit out at critics of the proposed changes in the Legal Services Bill, warning that the controversy risked becoming an "unedifying stramash."

The key change will allow lawyers to form partnerships with non-lawyers, prompting claims supermarkets and banks may be able to set up their own legal firms.

Mr Ewing said: "I have no doubt that this is a necessary change which will benefit greatly the legal profession, the consumer and the wider Scottish economy."

He added: "The rather lurid accusations of a few risk turning a constructive discussion about the future of the legal profession in Scotland into an unedifying stramash."

The independence of the legal profession will not be threatened by the measures, he said, and the Scottish Government will drop measures which prompted concerns it could control membership of the Law Society council.

Holyrood's justice committee convener Bill Aitken told MSPs that the legislation was "permissive" and the vast majority of Scottish firms would not choose to form ABSs.

He said: "Whilst it is important that they are given the appropriate opportunities, we do require to ensure the protection of the core values of the legal profession."

Labour's Richard Baker said there could be benefit to consumers if change brought more co-location of legal and related services in a "one-stop shop".

But he added: "There are important questions over how in opening up the potential for new business structures we can maintain current valued legal services."