Morgan to Lytton
Solicitors Hall,
Parliament Square,
Edinburgh
2 March 1859
I had the honor to receive Mr Merivale's letter of the 19th instant, and in reply thereto, have to inform you, that several Members of the Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland, Incorporated by Royal Charter, are admitted in, and at present practising as Solicitors or Attornies before the Courts of Law in Kingston, Jamaica, and in Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, in virtue of the Commissions they hold as Solicitors, from the Supreme Court of Scotland.
The Society of Writers to the Signet practise as Solicitors or Attornies in the Supreme Courts, solely in consequence of being Clerks to the Signet, and are neither admitted, nor sworn in by the Court.
As the Members of the Society of Solicitors before the Supreme Courts, and Writers to the Signet, have the same rights and privileges of practising in the Supreme Courts of Scotland, I humbly submit that it would be an Act of injustice towards the former, were they excluded from the same rights and privileges in any of Her Majesty's Colonies.
I have etc.
J.A. Morgan
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Merivale
Refer now to Sir F. Rogers, if he has returned from Paris.
ABd 4/3
Yes—but I observed in Mr Begbie's new Order of Court for British Columbia that these Scottish Solicitors are admitted. They have either been misinformed or the rule is relaxed. They should be informed accordingly.
HM Mh 4
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Carnarvon to Morgan, 16 March 1859, advising that Scottish solicitors may now be enrolled as attorneys and solicitors in British Columbia.
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Draft, Merivale to Rogers, 17 March 1859, forwarding copy of correspondence with Morgan and rules of court for British Columbia for observations and suggestions.