Trainee Solicitor - Scotland. Overworked, underpaid and in a Court near you.
Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined February 2022
- Tweets351
- Following798
- Followers1K
- Likes1.1K
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
Being a lawyer is realizing most people don’t want the legal answer. They want legal-sounding approval for what they already believe.
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
Our President Patricia Thom says today's @scotgov Budget is a bitter blow for legal aid and access to justice in Scotland and fails vulnerable people in need.
Read more in our statement ▶️ bit.ly/4aXBhHL
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me: two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. Ate them.
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
Looking forward to Bryce, the dashing defence solicitor, exhausted after a client phoning him at 3.20am to find out when he's next at court, being sacked after securing a Sheriff & Jury acquittal by a client furious at not being given his bus fare home. – at Irvine, Scotland
A Glasgow-based legal drama sounds good! I’m less convinced by the “Counsels” name. Isn’t the plural of “counsel” still “counsel”? And isn’t “counsel” used in Scotland to refer to advocates? (PS I’m not suggesting a drama about members of Faculty!)
bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2025/b…
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
It's a great time to be a young lawyer, unless you want to do criminal law. With legal aid rates rising roughly 10% IN 25 YEARS, the criminal bar can not compete with these wages. The inexorable drain of talent will continue, and without immediate intervention, we are doomed.
Burges boosts Bristol NQ solicitor salaries to £72,000 💷 legalcheek.com/2024/10/burge…
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
The simple fact is that @ScotGovJustice relies on the fact that the vast majority of criminal solicitors will not see a client go unrepresented. We are all guilty of "ach, it was just 5 minutes," but this example shows just how far we go for no payment at all.
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
Periods on remand are out of control, particularly in High Court cases. Time bars are routinely ignored and extended without question. I currently have a client who was remanded on 4/8/23 with a trial fixed for 24/2/25. 18m on remand is outrageous.
Why are there so many people in Scotland's jails?
An explainer piece with contributions from criminologist Dr Kirstin Anderson @Kir_Anderson @TheSCCJR and @howardleague_sc
bbc.com/news/articles/cvgx0j…
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
An important thread. There is much in the scandal that is current legal aid provision that is the subject of deliberate policy choice. But sometimes it’s just casual incompetence- that no-one made any provision for legal representation in a case where loss of liberty is in play.
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
No wonder the prisons are full: in Glasgow Sheriff Court this afternoon, @COPFS were opposing bail for an accused due to his record including a crime of violence (he was also already on bail). His last conviction? 2012. The year he was convicted for violence? 1985.
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
Our President Susan Murray and Council member Sheekha Saha pay tribute to Janet Hood, a long time former Council member who made an enormous contribution to the work of the Law Society and the profession. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues.
lawscot.org.uk/news-and-even…
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
It is with regret that @scotscrimbar announce that from 1st June we will be resuming the action taken in 2022. No member of the SSBA will accept instructions in summary prosecutions involving s1 of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2022 nor will we be accepting court appointments
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
We understand why @Lawscot have reached this point. The lack of progress made by @ScotGovJustice should embarrass them. However it is entirely consistent with their decades long mismanagement of the Legal Aid fund. Today is a consequence of their inaction.
The Law Society is to withdraw from discussions on creating a review mechanism for legal aid fees, saying it has ‘lost confidence’ in the @scotgov project due to a lack of progress. Read our statement ➡️bit.ly/44jVvWE
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
Right. I don’t want to hear criminal practitioners talking about “Sunday homework club” anymore.
You are now working 6 day working weeks as standard, not a student with an essay crisis.
It’s unsustainable long term and undermining the gravity of the situation.
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
During his cross-examination (and this is the right characterisation) of @broon313, @JohnSwinney asked if @scotscrimbar believe in the Rule of Law (a clue- we do) and suggested that our planned boycott of juryless trials undermines the Rule of Law. What he must understand is
Good reporting by @scottishlegal on our appearance before @ScotGovJustice yesterday. scottishlegal.com/articles/j…
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
It was a Trainee Solicitor who argued this point at trial. Pleased to see the Appeal Court agreed with him and it’s a good reminder of how much is asked of criminal defence trainees- and what they offer the justice system. @ScotGovJustice should be reinstating the Trainee Fund – at Glasgow, Scotland
Appeal Court holds that it isn't within judicial knowledge that the term "hun" refers to Protestants and so can constitute a religious aggravation to a public order offence, disagreeing with the Sheriff Appeal Court. scotcourts.gov.uk/docs/defau…
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
The number of solicitors providing criminal legal assistance has dropped by a third since 2007. This trend will ultimately have an impact at High Court level. Most - if not all - of the counsel regularly involved in the most serious cases started their legal careers in the solicitor profession - saving enough to bridge the one year gap when training to be advocates
Criminal justice system heading for 'impending collapse' over ScotGov fair trial cuts
heraldscotland.com/news/2407…
TheSecretTraineeSolicitor retweeted
Absolutely essential viewing for any lawyer or law student with an ambition to ever conduct a criminal trial - featuring as it does - two of the very best trial lawyers I have ever worked with 👇 – at Glasgow, Scotland
Murder Trial -The Killing of Brenda Page starts tonight at 10pm @BBCScotland and @BBCiPlayer 24 hours ahead of its @BBCTwo debut at 9pm tomorrow.
A 45 year quest for justice.
Pick of the day in every paper
