Purpose

The purpose of the Group is to bring together those directly concerned with the development and application of public law in Scotland for topical and informed debate on matters of common interest and concern.

Membership of the Group is free and open to all interested parties, including legal practitioners, academics, students and public officials.

Entry to events organised by the Group should be free to participants, with relevant costs (such as provision of venue, refreshments etc) being borne by the hosts.

The Group should draw on material support from four key constituencies – solicitors, advocates, academics and government – with each of these being asked to host our activities.

We are keen to encourage wide participation in the organisation and running of the Group and its programme of activities.


The SPLG Steering Group: composition

Founded in 2007, the Group is currently run by a small steering group, whose members are drawn from the four main SPLG constituencies. The steering group currently consists of:

The secretary to the steering group is Louise McErlean,  Associate, Burness Paull.

The Group can be contacted at enquiries@splg.co.uk.


The SPLG Steering Group: roles and responsibilities

The functions of the SPLG steering group are to coordinate the SPLG’s activities – in particular by devising and organising its calendar of events – and generally to promote and represent the SPLG in its dealings with its stakeholders and other interested parties.

The members of the steering group play a key role in the life of the SPLG by bringing forward imaginative and innovative ideas for events and speakers, and by assisting the SPLG to secure speakers of the highest quality. The steering group is looking to rotate its membership over a reasonable period and would encourage anyone with an interest in joining to contact one of its current members for further information.

The members of the steering group hold formal meetings (in person or by telephone) shortly before each of the SPLG events and otherwise stay in contact with each other on an informal basis throughout the year to ensure that the events in the SPLG calendar are delivered efficiently and to a high standard. The steering group usually delegates ‘lead’ responsibility for organising each event in the calendar to two of its members.


Events

The Group meets on a quarterly basis each spring, summer, autumn and winter. Typically this will consist of three seminar events in spring, autumn and winter (evening events organised around a specific theme, lasting approximately two hours and which are free to attend), and our flagship event, the Summer Conference. The Summer Conference is a whole day event which provides an overview of the key Public Law developments in Scotland and elsewhere over the course of the preceding year, and invites its speakers to anticipate likely trends that might continue or emerge in the year ahead.

Participants at events held by the SPLG will be entitled to claim credit under the continuing professional development (CPD) schemes of both the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates.