The Govan Law Centre have joined MacRoberts and Glasgow giants Thomsons and allied themselves with the Glasgow Bar Association.

The move adds a powerful weight to the vopices opposed to alternative business structures and the role of the Law Society in their advocacy.  The Association have previosuly called for a profession wide referendum on the continuance of the Society's representational role for solicitors.

Announcing the move exclusively in the Firm, principal Mike Dailly criticised the "supine naivety" of the Society, which he says has signed the death warrant of an independent profession.

"Can the Law Society of Scotland continue in its dual ‘regulatory and representative’ role? I believe our ‘representative’ body has signed the death warrant for the independence of our profession, and in so doing rendered itself obsolete as a representative body. But it’s not too late for solicitors to defend the independence of our profession," he said.

"Govan Law Centre has applied to join the Glasgow Bar Association today. We believe every solicitor in Scotland should be consulted in a referendum and asked whether the Law Society of Scotland’s representative role should continue or not. We believe it's time for solicitors across Scotland to work together.  Who will defend us from these regressive, undemocratic and unconstitutional proposals? The Law Society of Scotland? Our Society has embraced these proposals through a combination of supine naivety, acceptance of civil service diktat, and in the case of our big four corporate firms through the pecuniary self-interest and power of a handful of partners. We must defend ourselves. It’s time to work together."

Dailly's comments can be read in full here.