The Law Society of Scotland has found that a sizeable minority of the profession has suffered violence – generally at the hand of clients or former clients.

1,100 lawyers were surveyed. 27% said they had been threatened, and 12% said they had experienced violence. Unsurprisingly criminal defence lawyers bore the brunt of this – 70% said they had been threatened and 40% said they had been attacked. Family lawyers and prosecutors were also more likely to be on the receiving end of a Glasgow kiss.

 

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President of the Law Society of Scotland, the unfortunately-named Alison Atack, said that she was “extremely alarmed by the survey findings” and would be working with other organisations to try to reduce these incidents.

This sort of violence may fall disproportionately on those defending undesirables in The Calton, but the blue chip end of the profession is not immune from turning on itself. Lawyers at top Edinburgh firm Brodies have proved themselves very handy with their fists after too much of the Buckfast.

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Comments

Anon 21 September 18 15:01

This isn’t funny. This survey came as a result of a viscous knife attack on an elderly respected Glasgow defence lawyer. He is very lucky to be alive. 

Anonymous 24 September 18 14:18

I'd be interested to see the results for England and Wales. Don't imagine they would be that different.

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