The June 2023 edition of the SOLAS Newsletter (Issue 74) reflects a busy first half of the year, with President Natalie Cooke reporting good examination pass rates and the continued success of remote teaching, with exams returning to in-person delivery. Branches were working together to provide online seminars to members across Scotland, while General Council surveyed the membership to understand what SOLAS was doing well and where improvements might be needed. Attention was also turning to the in-person National Seminar in Perth on 20 September and the Glasgow AGM and Annual Dinner in November.
Administrator Lorraine MacLeod reported particularly strong engagement with the March Law Society Update Seminar, attended by 219 members and 22 non-members, while 84 of the 462 members surveyed responded to the Society’s questionnaire, with positive comments reported. SOLAS also announced that seminar and subscription payments would move entirely to BACS. Education remained central, with the 2023/24 Evening Course continuing by webinar while examinations would be held in person at central locations.
Branch reports show both the benefits and challenges of SOLAS’s evolving model. Online CPD was attracting members across geographical boundaries, but Aberdeen and Dundee continued to appeal for new committee members, with Dundee warning that greater involvement from younger members was essential to the branch’s future. Edinburgh returned to face-to-face activity alongside online seminars and Paul McRobb took over responsibility for running its seminars, while Glasgow welcomed several new committee members and reported excellent online CPD attendance. The newsletter also reiterated the annual requirement for five hours of structured and five hours of unstructured CPD, including two structured hours at a SOLAS seminar or event.
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