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Aberdeen is within the Scottish legal system, which is distinct from the systems in England and Wales or Northern Ireland. Most people hire a solicitor for legal matters. Solicitors handle advice and representation in most courts in and around Aberdeen, including the Sheriff Court and the Justice of the Peace Court. For certain complex court work in higher courts, a solicitor may instruct an advocate on your behalf.
The typical hiring process is straightforward. First, define your issue and what outcome you want. Next, shortlist local firms that practice the relevant area of Scots law, then arrange an initial consultation. Confirm that the firm is regulated and that the individual is a solicitor entitled to practice in Scotland. Ask about experience with Aberdeen Sheriff Court or relevant local tribunals where that matters. Discuss fees and possible funding, including whether you might qualify for legal aid. If you proceed, you will receive a client care or engagement letter explaining the scope of work, fees, timescales, and your rights. Expect to provide identification documents because firms must complete anti-money laundering checks before they act.
Common fee models in Aberdeen include hourly rates, fixed fees for defined tasks, capped fees, and success fee agreements in eligible personal injury cases. If you are on a low income or in certain types of cases, you may qualify for legal aid administered in Scotland by the Scottish Legal Aid Board. Always ask for a written fee estimate and how often you will be updated about costs.
People in Aberdeen seek legal help for many reasons. Property matters are common, such as buying or selling a home, remortgaging, resolving boundary issues, or dealing with factors and common repairs. Tenants and landlords may need advice on private residential tenancies, rent increases, deposit disputes, or eviction applications to the Housing and Property Chamber.
Family issues can include separation and divorce, financial settlement, child residence or contact, cohabitation claims, prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, domestic abuse protections, and adoption or permanence orders. Planning for the future often involves wills, executries, legal rights of spouses and children in succession, powers of attorney, and adult guardianship applications.
Criminal matters range from road traffic offences and fixed penalties to prosecutions by the Procurator Fiscal for more serious offences. Employment disputes are also common, such as unfair dismissal, redundancy, discrimination, wage claims, and settlement agreements, with Employment Tribunal proceedings heard in Scotland. For businesses and professionals, solicitors assist with company setup, contracts, intellectual property, commercial property leases, licensing for alcohol or HMOs, regulatory compliance, health and safety, and dispute resolution. Aberdeen’s strong energy sector means many firms also handle offshore worker contracts and personal injury or industrial disease claims. Immigration, asylum, and nationality matters are also handled by regulated practitioners in Scotland.
Scots law applies in Aberdeen. Most local civil and criminal cases are heard at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, with serious criminal cases prosecuted by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Higher civil matters can go to the Court of Session in Edinburgh, and the High Court of Justiciary is Scotland’s supreme criminal court.
Housing and renting in Scotland operate under the Private Housing Tenancies regime. Most private tenants have a Private Residential Tenancy, which provides open-ended tenancies, controls on eviction grounds, and rules on rent increases. Eviction and many landlord-tenant disputes are decided by the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland Housing and Property Chamber. Tenancy deposits must be protected in an approved scheme, and local authorities enforce landlord registration and HMO licensing rules.
Family law has important Scottish features. Cohabitants may make claims for financial provision when a relationship ends, usually within a short time limit after separation. On divorce, Scotland uses a fair sharing principle for matrimonial property, and the welfare of the child is paramount in contact and residence decisions. Domestic abuse protections are available through civil orders and criminal law.
Succession law in Scotland preserves legal rights for a surviving spouse or civil partner and for children, which can apply even where there is a will. Because of these legal rights, careful will drafting is important. Adults who lose capacity are protected under the Adults with Incapacity framework, using powers of attorney or, where needed, guardianship and intervention orders granted by the sheriff court.
In criminal matters, Police Scotland investigates and reports to the Procurator Fiscal, who decides whether to prosecute. You have a right to legal advice during police interview. In Scotland the drink drive limit is lower than in England and Wales, so local driving offences may be charged at lower blood alcohol concentrations than you expect if you have moved from elsewhere in the UK.
Business, employment, and data protection rules often derive from UK-wide law. Most employment disputes require ACAS early conciliation before you can submit an Employment Tribunal claim. Data protection is governed by UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, overseen by the Information Commissioner’s Office. Property ownership is recorded by Registers of Scotland, and conveyancing follows Scottish missives and settlement processes. Licensing for alcohol and certain activities is decided by the Aberdeen City Licensing Board, and planning permission follows the Aberdeen Local Development Plan.
In Scotland, solicitors must hold a current practising certificate and are regulated by the Law Society of Scotland. Ask the firm to confirm the solicitor’s status and practising certificate. You can also search the Law Society of Scotland’s public register to verify details.
Solicitors give legal advice and represent clients in most courts and tribunals. Advocates are specialist court lawyers who are usually instructed by a solicitor for complex or higher court cases. If your case needs an advocate, your Aberdeen solicitor will arrange this for you.
Legal aid in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Legal Aid Board. Eligibility depends on the type of case, your financial circumstances, and the merits of the case. Some matters qualify for advice and assistance, others for civil or criminal legal aid. Ask the firm early so they can assess this with you.
Firms typically use hourly rates, fixed fees for defined tasks, capped fees, and in eligible personal injury claims, success fee arrangements. Always request a written estimate, an explanation of what is included, and how you will be billed as the case progresses.
Bring photo ID and proof of address for identity checks, any court papers or letters you have received, key contracts or agreements, a timeline of events, and a list of your questions. This helps the solicitor give accurate advice and provide a clearer fee estimate.
Many civil and criminal cases that arise in Aberdeen are dealt with at Aberdeen Sheriff Court or the Justice of the Peace Court. Housing cases often go to the Housing and Property Chamber, and Employment Tribunal cases for the region are heard in Scotland. Your solicitor will explain the appropriate venue.
Timeframes vary by case type. Property purchases can complete in a few weeks, while defended court actions can take months. Tribunal and court listing availability also affects timing. Ask your solicitor for a realistic plan based on the procedure that applies.
Yes, for matters governed by Scots law. If your issue involves English or Northern Irish law, you may need a solicitor qualified in that jurisdiction. For cross-border issues, your Aberdeen solicitor can work with corresponding lawyers elsewhere in the UK.
Raise your concerns with the firm first using its internal complaints procedure outlined in your engagement letter. If unresolved, you can escalate to the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, which handles service complaints about legal practitioners in Scotland.
Most Aberdeen firms offer phone or video appointments and can handle documents electronically where appropriate. Some matters and identity checks may still require in-person verification or certified copies, which your solicitor will arrange.
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service - Court locations, rules, forms, and guidance:
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service - Information on criminal prosecutions:
First-tier Tribunal for Scotland Housing and Property Chamber - Applications and decisions:
Registers of Scotland - Land Register and property information:
Employment Tribunal - How to make a claim in Scotland:
Information Commissioner’s Office - Data protection and UK GDPR guidance:
Companies House - Company registration and records:
