Explanatory Notes

Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2010

2010 asp 16

9 November 2010

Commentary on Sections

Part 2 – Regulation of Licensed Legal Services

Chapter 2 – Licensed Legal Services Providers
Non-solicitor investors
Section 64 – Factors as to fitness

142.Section 64 provides examples of relevant factors when determining a non-solicitor investor’s fitness, such as financial position and business record, and family business and other associations. Subsection (3) sets out in what circumstances a non-solicitor investor is presumed to be unfit. These conditions are similar to those found in the first, second, third and fourth conditions in section 58(2) to (5) in relation to disqualification from positions within a licensed provider. It also sets out that if the non-solicitor investor is a body, the approved regulator should consider the fitness of that body and of those having ownership, control, or any material interest in it and its affairs. It means that the fitness for involvement test cannot be avoided by investors within a company.