Dunbartonshire solicitors cite concerns ahead of impending legal advice changes

On Thursday, new laws will come into force entitling anyone who faces police questioning to legal advice, regardless of whether they have been charged or not.

Like their counterparts across the country, lawyers at the Faculty of Solicitors of Dunbartonshire are concerned about underfunding and the heavier workload likely to be brought on by the legislation.

Faculty secretary, Scott Adair, told the Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter that the issue was not just about money but how solicitors are meant to maintain a work-life balance and continue to provide a quality service.

Mr Adair said: “The main concern is the number of times we may get requested to attend police offices for matters for which we previously would not have had to.

“There’s a work-life balance. We will be on call 24/7, 365 days a year, and not getting properly funded for that.”

He added: “For my own clients, I’m there 24/7. I have taken calls on holiday and I speak to clients because they’re the ones looking for me and that’s part of the job.

“There are people who are vulnerable and in need of professional assistance and the government doesn’t appear to be willing to fund that properly.

“If that’s going to remain a service, it’s got to be properly funded.”

Mr Adair expects three to five times more calls each week for duty solicitors.

A spokesman for SLAB said: “We understand the concerns some solicitors have about managing requests for advice in police stations alongside the other demands of running their businesses.

“Our projections are that demands should be manageable for most firms with the support of the services provided by the Solicitor Contact Line and the support of the duty scheme for police station attendances.

“The volume of calls solicitors can expect from their own clients will depend on the size of their current client base. There is no obligation on solicitors to respond to requests for such advice.

“Our discussions with the profession over the last two years have suggested that some will choose to do so, while others will do so some of the time and rely on the SCL or the duty solicitor at other times.”