The Law Society of Scotland has been shortlisted for an award as a resuklt of the support it has provided to its members over the course of the pandemic. The body has been nominated in the category of Best Covid-19 Response in Associations alongside six other nominees.

The  Covid Response Awards  organised by GCN Events have been set up to recognise the resilience, resourcefulness and tenacity that has been shown in response to these unprecedented times.

In April 2020, The Law Society of Scotland announced a £2.2 million financial package to support its members and help to mitigate the risk of unemployment and firm closures.

Lorna Jack, Chief Executive of the Law Society of Scotland, said:

“I am absolutely delighted that the Society has been shortlisted for this award and am very proud of all of my colleagues and our committee volunteers who have worked tremendously hard to support our members during these unprecedented times.

“There has been enormous pressure on the entire profession as a result of the pandemic and we have worked to come up with solutions which would help our members weather the storm. From working closely with Registers of Scotland and the Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service, to developing new guidance on using video technology to accommodate social distancing and enhancing our business support offering.

“We put together the £2.2 million financial package which, although it meant cutting deep into our financial reserves, and pausing several projects, helped to reduce costs for our members and provide reassurance that we would do everything that we could to help and support the profession.

“At the time we had no idea of what was to come or how long it would take for normality to return, or indeed what that would look like, but we acted swiftly and decisively and despite the difficulties faced by our members over these past 18 months, the legal profession has proven itself resilient and committed to providing much needed legal advice and services throughout. It’s also encouraging that in spite of the impact of the pandemic, we have seen a slight increase in practising Scottish solicitors over the past year.

“As we continue our work to support our members and as we begin to look beyond the pandemic and the longer term changes to the legal and justice sectors, it is fantastic to have had our work to date recognised in this way.”

The Covid Response Award winners will be announced at a ceremony being held at The Kia Oval in London on 25 November 2021.

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