{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/solicitors-scotland-act-1980/section-31",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/solicitors-scotland-act-1980/section-31.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1980/46",
  "legislation_title": "Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/solicitors-scotland-act-1980",
  "path": "section/31",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "31",
  "heading": "Offence for unqualified persons to pretend to be solicitor or notary public.",
  "text": "(1) Any . . . person (including a body corporate) who , not having the relevant qualification,either by himself or together with others, wilfully and falsely—\n(a) pretends to be a solicitor or notary public; or\n(aa) pretends to be a registered European lawyer; or\n(ab) pretends to be a registered foreign lawyer; or\n(b) takes or uses any name, title, addition or description implying that he is duly qualified to act as a solicitor or a notary public , registered European lawyer or registered foreign lawyer, as the case may be, or recognised by law as so qualified;\nshall be guilty of an offence.\n...\n(2) Any person (including a body corporate) who either by himself or together with others, wilfully and falsely—\n(a) pretends to be an incorporated practice;\n(b) takes or uses any name, title, addition or description implying that he is an incorporated practice,\nshall be guilty of an offence.\n(2A) This section does not apply to an incorporated practice.\n(2B) This section does not apply in relation to the taking or using by a licensed legal services provider of a name, title, addition or description if the licensed provider has the Society's written authority for using it.\n(2C) For the purpose of subsection (2B), the Council are to make rules which—\n(a) set the procedure for getting the Society's authority (and specify the conditions that the Society may impose if it gives that authority),\n(b) specify the grounds on which the Society may refuse to give that authority (and require the Society to give reasons in writing if it refuses to give that authority).\n(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 31 renumbered as subsection (1) of that section by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 76:2), s. 56, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 8"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in s. 31(1) repealed (22.5.2000) by S.S.I. 2000/121, regs. 1(1), 37(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(8)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(1) inserted (22.5.2000) by S.S.I. 2000/121, regs. 1(1), 37(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(8)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 31(1)(aa) inserted (22.5.2000) by S.S.I. 2000/121, regs. 1(1), 37(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(8)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 31(1)(ab) inserted (1.10.2004) by The Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 (Foreign Lawyers and Multi-national Practices) Regulations 2004 (S.S.I. 2004/383), reg. 6(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(1)(b) inserted (22.5.2000) by S.S.I. 2000/121, regs. 1(1), 37(1), Sch. 1 para. 1(8)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(1)(b) substituted (1.10.2004) by The Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 (Foreign Lawyers and Multi-national Practices) Regulations 2004 (S.S.I. 2004/383), reg. 6(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 31 repealed (2.7.2012) by Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 16), ss. 123(3)(a), 150(2); S.S.I. 2012/152, art. 2, sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "S. 31(2)(3) inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 76:2), s. 56, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 8(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "S. 31(2A)-(2C) inserted (2.7.2012) by Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 16), ss. 123(3)(b), 150(2); S.S.I. 2012/152, art. 2, sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "S. 31(3) repealed (3.6.1991) by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 (c. 40, SIF 76:2), s. 74, Sch. 9; S.I. 1991/1252, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 31 modified (31.10.1994) by 1994 c. 26, s. 86(2); S.I. 1994/2550, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 31 amended by Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48, SIF 67A), s. 278"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/46/section/31",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:15:15.254365+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}