Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers
Encyclopedia
Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers (SACL) is a pressure group, registered as a political party, dedicated to exposing alleged corruption within the Scottish legal profession, Court System and the Scottish Government. Their stated main aim is to end the system of self-regulation for solicitor
s in Scotland
. Currently conduct complaints against member solicitors are handled by the Law Society of Scotland
with other complaints being dealt with by the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, with independent adjudication provided by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman
.
buildings at Holyrood
, as well as other locations such as the Law Society of Scotland
main office in Drumsheugh Gardens, and outside the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
in Chambers Street, all in Edinburgh
.
in Edinburgh
.
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
s in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Currently conduct complaints against member solicitors are handled by the Law Society of Scotland
Law Society of Scotland
The Law Society of Scotland is the professional governing body for Scottish solicitors.It promotes excellence among solicitors through representation, support and regulation of its members. It also promotes the interests of the public in relation to the profession...
with other complaints being dealt with by the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, with independent adjudication provided by the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman
Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman
The Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman is a non-departmental public body in Scotland appointed by the Scottish Ministers responsible for overseeing the internal complaints procedures of the Faculty of Advocates and the Law Society of Scotland but with considerable constraints on their investigatory...
.
Cause of complaint
Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers state that "Of all the professions that have evolved in our society, none have ever come close to matching the legal profession for downright deceit and dishonesty. The legal profession is immutable, intransigent, self-protective, unaccountable, incompetent and corrupt. For over 500 years this profession has been tyrannising, misleading and oppressing the Scottish people." http://www.unjustis.co.uk/Support/similar_sites.htmProtests
Members of Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers hold regular protests outside the Scottish ParliamentScottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
buildings at Holyrood
Holyrood, Edinburgh
Holyrood is an area in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Lying east of the city centre, at the end of the Royal Mile, Holyrood was once in the separate burgh of Canongate before the expansion of Edinburgh in 1856...
, as well as other locations such as the Law Society of Scotland
Law Society of Scotland
The Law Society of Scotland is the professional governing body for Scottish solicitors.It promotes excellence among solicitors through representation, support and regulation of its members. It also promotes the interests of the public in relation to the profession...
main office in Drumsheugh Gardens, and outside the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service provides the independent public prosecution service for Scotland, and is a Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government. The department is headed by Her Majesty's Lord Advocate, who under the Scottish legal system is responsible for prosecution,...
in Chambers Street, all in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Leading members
SACL leading members include prominent legal campaigner Stuart Usher, of the Usher Distillery Family. The Usher family were well known for their generosity to Scottish charitable causes, including Usher HallUsher Hall
Usher Hall is a concert hall, situated on Lothian Road, in the west end of Edinburgh, Scotland. It has hosted concerts and events since its construction in 1914 and can hold approximately 2,900 people in its recently restored auditorium, which is well loved by performers due to its acoustics...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.