More than 160 members of the Law Society of Scotland have called for the body to be abolished in its present form, citing their ‘complete lack of confidence’ in its ability to represent the interests of the profession north of the border.

In a letter to Monday’s Herald newspaper, they claimed the 10,500-strong body’s dual role as both representative body and regulator is ‘not fit for purpose’, stressing that ‘solicitors in the rest of the UK are no longer organised in this way’. They went on to call for the formation of a separate representative body. Six of the signatories are past members of the Society’s ruling council.

The broadside comes amid growing disquiet over the way Society negotiators handled funding talks with the Scottish Legal Aid Board (Slab). Three prominent Glasgow solicitors have recently resigned from the Society’s ruling council, and its Access to Justice committee quit en masse. Last month, it emerged that the Glasgow Bar Association is contemplating a court challenge to the constitution of the Law Society.

The letter stated: ‘The Society has recently negotiated fundamental changes to the legal aid system which are contrary to members’ interests; lacking in commercial sense and equity; and which discriminate against those who practise in the Glasgow courts.’

Glasgow defence lawyers are angry that fees have been cut for cases brought before stipendiary magistrates, a category of judge found in that city.

The letter added: ‘These changes, which are likely to give rise to a flood of human rights challenges as a result of their adverse impact on access to justice, were negotiated without full consultation. The conflict of interest which arises from this can be seen in the operation by the Society of a policy whereby it refuses to publicly criticise or question the actions of Slab.’

A spokeswoman for the Society said: ‘We are always keen to listen to the views of our members. However on the principle of the Society’s dual role, the collective view of our members could hardly be clearer. Over 70% of solicitors voting in a referendum last year supported the Society in both representing and regulating the profession.’

She added: ‘We have worked hard to try and secure the best possible outcome for profession and the public on legal aid.’