Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow
Encyclopedia
The Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow is a professional body of legal practitioners based in Glasgow
and providing services to lawyers in the city and the surrounding area. The Faculty owns and operates the largest law library
in the West of Scotland as well as a small branch library at Glasgow Sheriff Court
, and runs a programme of continuing professional development
(CPD) seminars.
The Faculty is similar to the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet (WS Society), a professional association of solicitors which maintains the Signet Library in Edinburgh
, however these bodies play no regulatory role for their members, only providing services, and should be distinguished from the Law Society of Scotland
and Faculty of Advocates
, which are the respective regulatory bodies for solicitors and advocates in Scotland.
awarded by King George III
on 6 June 1796 stated that "for centuries past the members of the Commissary Courts of Glasgow and of Hamilton and Campsie have been, and are now united into a Society called the Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow." This Charter entitled the Faculty to the call itself the Royal Faculty. A Library was established in 1817 and a permanent home for it opened in 1856. The Faculty established the Chair of Conveyancing
in the University of Glasgow
in 1861 and held the right of appointment until 1993.
The Faculty's position was eroded by the Law Agents (Scotland) Act 1873, which eliminated the exclusive right of Faculty members to appear in the Local Courts, and the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1933 and Legal Aid and Solicitors (Scotland) 1949, which created the Law Society of Scotland
as the national professional body for solicitors. Nowadays, it serves as a representative body for its members as well as providing library services, venue hire, auditor services and continuing professional development
.
in Glasgow's city centre. The maintenance of a library was first proposed in 1736, and one was eventually established in 1817. It moved in 1856 to its present location, a Venetian-style building by Charles Wilson
, who also designed 22 Park Circus
and Lews Castle
on Stornoway
. It became a Category A listed building in 1966. The Library has grown to become the largest law library in the West of Scotland, covering all practice areas. It contains series of law reports, purchases copies of every legal text published and increasingly provides electronic resources to members. It is also available to hire as a venue for meetings and private events.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and providing services to lawyers in the city and the surrounding area. The Faculty owns and operates the largest law library
Law library
A law library is a library designed to assist law students, attorneys, judges, and their law clerks and anyone else who finds it necessary to correctly determine the state of the law....
in the West of Scotland as well as a small branch library at Glasgow Sheriff Court
Glasgow Sheriff Court
Glasgow Sheriff Court is a Sheriff Court in the Gorbals area of Glasgow, within the Sheriffdom of Glasgow and Strathkelvin. It is reputedly the busiest court in Europe....
, and runs a programme of continuing professional development
Continuing Professional Development
Continuing professional development or Continuing professional education is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives.-CPD research:...
(CPD) seminars.
The Faculty is similar to the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet (WS Society), a professional association of solicitors which maintains the Signet Library 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...
, however these bodies play no regulatory role for their members, only providing services, and should be distinguished from 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...
and Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
, which are the respective regulatory bodies for solicitors and advocates in Scotland.
History
The date of the Faculty's foundation is unknown, although it has existed since prior to 1668. A Royal CharterRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
awarded by King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
on 6 June 1796 stated that "for centuries past the members of the Commissary Courts of Glasgow and of Hamilton and Campsie have been, and are now united into a Society called the Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow." This Charter entitled the Faculty to the call itself the Royal Faculty. A Library was established in 1817 and a permanent home for it opened in 1856. The Faculty established the Chair of Conveyancing
Chair of Conveyancing, Glasgow
The Chair of Conveyancing is a Professorship at the University of Glasgow. It was founded in 1861 and partly endowed by the Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow...
in the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
in 1861 and held the right of appointment until 1993.
The Faculty's position was eroded by the Law Agents (Scotland) Act 1873, which eliminated the exclusive right of Faculty members to appear in the Local Courts, and the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1933 and Legal Aid and Solicitors (Scotland) 1949, which created 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...
as the national professional body for solicitors. Nowadays, it serves as a representative body for its members as well as providing library services, venue hire, auditor services and continuing professional development
Continuing Professional Development
Continuing professional development or Continuing professional education is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives.-CPD research:...
.
Library
The Society is based at its Library on Nelson Mandela Place, off Buchanan StreetBuchanan Street
Buchanan Street is one of the main shopping thoroughfares in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. It forms the central stretch of Glasgow's famous shopping district with a generally more upmarket range of shops than the neighbouring streets: Argyle Street, and Sauchiehall Street.-History:...
in Glasgow's city centre. The maintenance of a library was first proposed in 1736, and one was eventually established in 1817. It moved in 1856 to its present location, a Venetian-style building by Charles Wilson
Charles Wilson (architect)
Charles Wilson was a Scottish architect from Glasgow.-Biography:Charles Wilson was the younger son of a Glasgow-based master mason and builder. After working for his father, he was articled to the architect David Hamilton in 1827...
, who also designed 22 Park Circus
22 Park Circus, Glasgow
22 Park Circus is a townhouse in Glasgow, Scotland, housing the city's register office.-Construction:The house forms part of Park Circus, the focal point of the formerly-residential Park district of the West End of the city...
and Lews Castle
Lews Castle
Lews Castle is a Victorian era castle located west of the town of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. It was built in the years 1847-57 as a country house for Sir James Matheson who had bought the whole island a few years previously with his fortune from the Chinese Opium trade...
on Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
. It became a Category A listed building in 1966. The Library has grown to become the largest law library in the West of Scotland, covering all practice areas. It contains series of law reports, purchases copies of every legal text published and increasingly provides electronic resources to members. It is also available to hire as a venue for meetings and private events.
See also
- Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet
- Law Society of ScotlandLaw Society of ScotlandThe 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...
- Faculty of AdvocatesFaculty of AdvocatesThe Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...