Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980

6Admission as solicitor

(1)Subject to the provisions of this section, no person shall be admitted as a solicitor in Scotland unless—

(a)he is aged 21 years or over ; and

(b)he has satisfied the Council by affidavit or otherwise—

(i)that he has complied with the provisions of any regulations made under section 5 that apply to him, and

(ii)that he is a fit and proper person to be a solicitor, and has obtained from the Council a certificate to that effect; and

(c)he has paid such sum in respect of his admission as has been fixed by the Council with the approval of the Lord President.

(2)If any person who has complied with the requirements of subsection (1) applies by petition to the Court for admission as a solicitor and produces the certificate mentioned in paragraph (b) of that subsection, the Court shall make an order admitting him as a solicitor.

(3)If any person has not obtained from the Council a certificate to the effect mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) but has otherwise satisfied the requirements of that subsection the Court, on such an application being made by him and on being satisfied after such inquiry as it thinks fit, that—

(a)he is a fit and proper person to be admitted as a solicitor, and

(b)he is competent to be a solicitor,

may make an order admitting him as a solicitor.

(4)Any order admitting a person as a solicitor under this section shall include a direction to the Council to enter the name of that person in the roll.

(5)Nothing in this section affects the operation of the [63 and 64 Vict. c. 14.] Colonial Solicitors Act 1900 or any Order in Council made under that Act (admission as solicitors in Scotland of solicitors of certain overseas territories).

(6)Every person who has been enrolled as a law agent shall be deemed to be admitted as a solicitor.