Faculty hosts meeting of Plan for Growth: Scottish Co-ordination Group


08 May

The latest meeting of the Scottish Co-ordination Group was hosted and chaired by the Faculty. The aim of the group is the international promotion of the Scottish legal services sector and Scotland as a place for dispute resolution.

The bodies represented on the group are:

• Faculty of Advocates
• Law Society of Scotland
• Office of the Advocate General (UK Government)
• Scottish Arbitration Centre
• Scottish Council for Development & Industry (SCDI)
• Scottish Development International (SDI)
• Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE)
• Scottish Government Justice Department
• UK Ministry of Justice
• UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)
• VisitScotland

At the meeting, matters discussed included:

• The successful involvement of the Scottish legal services sector at two well-organised recent international events:
- the Global Law Summit in London, where there were sessions organised and presented by the Faculty of Advocates, the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Arbitration Centre;
- the Commonwealth Law Conference in Glasgow, in which the Law Society of Scotland had played an important organisational role and at which there were speakers from the Faculty, and the Law Society. The Lord President of the Court of Session addressed the conference and the Scottish Arbitration Centre hosted an event on dispute resolution.
• The announcement of the feasibility study in respect of an Energy and Natural Resources Court in Scotland.
• Engagement with other interest groups such as the CityUK Legal Services and Dispute Resolution Group.
• Co-ordination and promotion of the group's activities.
• Updates on relevant promotional and other activities by the Faculty of Advocates, the Law Society and the Scottish Arbitration Centre.

Alistair Clark QC, Convenor of the Faculty's International Committee, said: "From the Faculty's perspective, the next stage for the group is to identify clear propositions in favour of Scotland as a venue for dispute resolution and a sound strategy for advancing these propositions at an international level."