278.Section 137(1) amends section 18 of the 1980 Act to allow the Council of the Society to suspend a solicitor’s practising certificate if that solicitor has been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or, following a conviction, has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 12 months or more or been fined an amount equivalent to level 4 on the standard scale or more. Subsection (3) makes similar provision in section 24F of the 1980 Act to allow the Council of the Society to suspend a registered European lawyer in the same circumstances.
279.Section 137(2) and (4) of the Act inserts new subsections into sections 19 and 24G of the 1980 Act that require a solicitor or registered European lawyer to notify the Council when:
	their practising/registration certificate, which had ceased to have effect because they have been detained under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 or a guardian is appointed under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, comes back into effect again on their discharge;
	their practising/registration certificate, which had ceased to have effect because a judicial factor had been appointed on their estate under section 41 of the 1980 Act comes back into effect again on the judicial factor being granted his discharge.
Commentary on Sections Part 4 – the Legal Profession The 1980 Act: further modification Section 137 – Suspension from practice