The Society was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1884 and membership is open to all Scottish solicitors and trainees in the public or private sector or elsewhere and also, by virtue of a subsequent Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth II, the Society is enabled to entertain applications for membership by academic lawyers including students. The Society is concerned with all legal and practical matters affecting its members and endeavours to represent and promote their interests and standards. This is done through the medium of the Society’s Council consisting of members representing all parts of Scotland and most areas of practice. The Society organises CPD seminars from time to time and delivers the Professional Competence Course which requires to be undertaken by trainee solicitors. Council members retire by rotation at the Society’s AGM which is held in June each year. The Council meets monthly, usually alternating between Glasgow and Edinburgh but occasionally in other places, and also has committees to deal with such matters as conveyancing, court and legal aid practice, membership and public relations. The Society produces a quarterly Gazette in order to assist members to keep abreast with developments affecting the profession and publishes an annual Memorandum Book which is designed to contain the sort of information that a solicitor might require from time to time in his daily practice.