Please scroll down for the Vacancies Section.
The Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal (SSDT) is an independent body which mainly deals with serious disciplinary issues that arise from time to time within the Scottish legal profession.
As a formal judicial body, the Tribunal is constituted under the provisions of Sections 50 – 54 and Schedule 4 of the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 as amended.
Complaints against solicitors in Scotland are channelled first through the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission who will refer conduct matters to the Law Society of Scotland, who will carry out an initial investigation and can decide to prosecute more serious cases before the SSDT.
The most severe sanction available to the Tribunal is to strike an individual off the Roll of Solicitors, which effectively removes the individual’s right to practise as a solicitor in Scotland.
The Tribunal is governed by a set of rules (Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal Procedure Rules 2008 can be accessed here) which must be approved by the Lord President of the Court of Session. The Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal Procedure Rules 2005 still apply to any conduct occurring before 1 October 2008.
The Tribunal deals with the following types of business:
- Complaints of professional misconduct
- Applications for restoration to the Roll of Solicitors and Applications for Removal of a Restriction on a practising certificate
- Appeals by solicitors / lay complainers against findings / failure to make findings of unsatisfactory professional conduct
The Tribunal normally sits with 2 solicitor members and 2 lay members: solicitor members cannot also be members of the Council of the Law Society (governing body in Scotland); lay members are drawn from all backgrounds and walks of life. All members are appointed by the Lord President of the Court of Session – Scotland’s most senior judge.
Further guidance on the Tribunal can be found on the guidance page.
More information about individual members can be found on the members page and the Register of Interests (click here for Register).
Vacancies
Clerk to the Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal
We have an opportunity for a confident and self-motivated solicitor to join the SSDT as Clerk to the Tribunal and Company Secretary to SSDT Administration Limited. This is a permanent full-time position. The successful candidate will work within a small team comprising an office manager and a depute clerk to assist the Tribunal to meet its objectives.
The Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal deals with serious disciplinary issues in the solicitors’ profession in Scotland. The Tribunal is an important part of solicitors’ regulation. It helps protect the public and maintain the reputation of the profession by upholding its standards. The Tribunal is independent of the Law Society of Scotland. It is assisted in its administration by a private company limited by guarantee, SSDT Administration Limited. The company employs a Clerk and administrative staff.
Key Responsibilities -
- Legal Assessor to the Tribunal
- Company Secretary to SSDT Administration Limited
- Administration of Tribunal and oversight of the Tribunal Office
Key Knowledge, Skills and Competencies -
- Experienced Scottish Solicitor with a current practising certificate
- Excellent communicator
- Excellent drafting skills
What we offer -
- Competitive Salary commensurate with experience in the region of £50,000 to £60,000
- 35 hour flexible working week
- Hybrid working environment (minimum 1 day in the Cupar office per week and requirement to attend in-person tribunals, training and other meetings as arranged)
- Annual Leave entitlement - 25 days annual leave and 9 public holidays rising to 30 days annual leave and 9 public holidays after 5 years’ service.
- Sick Leave – 12 weeks full pay in any 12-month rolling period after two years’ service
- Employer Contribution Pension Scheme
- Continuing professional development training
More Information -
Please see job description & person specification
To apply -
Please fill out the Application Form. Guidance notes are contained within the application form.
No CVs or agencies please.
This vacancy will close at 12 noon on 31 May 2024.
Interviews will take place in-person in Cupar on 21 June 2024.
Enquiries -
To find out more or arrange an informal discussion with the current Clerk, email the Tribunal Office at enquiries@ssdt.org.uk