WRITER TO THE SIGNET, or CLERK TO THE SIGNET, the name of an important body of legal practitioners in Edinburgh, who derive this designation from having been originally clerks in the office of the secretary of state, where the different writs that passed under the king's signet were prepared. Act 1537, c. 39, establishing the college of justice, mentions the clerks to the signet as a previously existing body; and though no charter of incorporation is extant, the society is considered entitled to all the privi leges of a corporation. The keeper of the signet, an officer appointed by the crown, appoints one of the members of the society of writers to the signet his deputy, who is in use to preside at meetings of the society, and along with certain other members tamed by him as commissioners to manage its affairs. Admission to the society must be pre ceded (1) by attendance during two different sessions, or two full winter courses of lectures on the faculty of arts of a Scottish university; (2) by a five years' apprentice ship; (3) by attendance on four courses of law in the university. Previous to admission the candidate is examined in scholarship and in law. The whole expense of admis sion to the society, including the apprentice fee of £200, is £410, 15s. 6d. The writers to the signet have long been the principal body of law agents practicing before the supreme courts of Scotland; and the individual members of the body are also entitled to practice before the sheriff court in all matters which have been transferred by statute ..from the supreme courts to the sheriff court, as proceedings in bankruptcy. They pos sess the exclusive right of preparing the warrants of charters of,land flowing from the crown, of signing summonses citing parties to appear in the court of session, and all other writs that pass the signet, as diligences for affecting the person or estate of the debtor. A very considerable proportion of the conveyancing business of Scotland is in
their hands, and they are largely employed as factors in the management of private affairs. Most of them are notaries public. They possess a large and valuable library.
Act 36 and 37 Viet. c. 63 has transferred to a newly-created body, called "law agents," the exclusive right of practicing before both the supreme and the inferior courts of Scotland. Admittance to this body must be preceded by a five years' apprenticeship, which if entered on after 1873 must be under an indenture duly recorded and intimated to an officer, called the registrar of law agents, within six months from its commence ment. A three years' apprenticeship is to be held sufficient in the cases of a person who has been five years clerk to a law agent, is a graduate in law or arts, an advocate in Scotland or barrister in England, or an enrolled attorney or solicitor hi England. The applicant is admitted by the court Of session after an examination by examiners appointed by the court. Persons who prior to Feb., 1874, were members of the society of writers to the signet, or of the society of solicitors before the supreme courts, or procurators before the inferior courts. are entitled on application to be enrolled as law agents. For three years, from Aug., 1873, the qualifications for admission are relaxed in favor of persons in course of qualifying as procurators, under the procurators act, 1865. Before being allowed to practice before the court of session or any interior court, a law agent must subscribe the roll of that court. Any law agent may on application to the court of session be admitted a notary public.