Alan Treleaven started us off in this session, describing the situation in British Columbia, and how the Law Society of BC dealt with the issues involved. Useful summary of the Canadian system. Interesting that lawyers can move between provinces (though as I understood him they can’t set up in two provinces) in their representation of clients, and that this causes no problems for the regulators.
Next up was me, talking of globalization, QLTS, professionalism in Scottish legal education, and LETR. Slides will be on the slide page on this site; and there were two papers produced by LETR that I put into the memory stick and referred to in the session.
Finally, Laurel Terry on the same topic, but focusing on the USA. Lots of data on the effects of globalization on the legal profession, and raising the issues on what, how, where, when. She produced a mega-docquet of material for the conference memory stick. She wound up by recommending the following:
- Consider the Georgia toolkit idea (it’s in her materials, section 15, I think)
- Consider the UBE and ABA proposals seriously (and the alternatives of no policies and limited mobility)
- adopt regulatory objectives for the legal profession
- consider supporting Laurel’s idea to create a ‘Global Umbrella Organization for Lawyer Regulators’
- Recognize that we live in a changing world.
I especially like number 4.
Modesty forbids comment on the session, except on my colleagues whose sessions were very interesting. Lots of questions at the end, but since I was answering, I can’t remember what they were or what I said…