Profile: Patricia Quigley

What prompted you to study law?

My father, John George Quigley, was a solicitor and partner in a well known Glasgow law firm. Growing up, I remember him regaling the family with legal anecdotes in the morning at breakfast and they always seemed interesting. I also remember he wore special pinstripe suits and a black gown on days he was going to court. I was the eldest child in the family, but there was never any pressure on me, or even suggestion, that I should study law. In fact, my plan was to study maths at University as this had become my favourite subject.

Before going back to do a sixth year at Notre Dame High School in Glasgow, I happened to read a short book entitled A Preface to Scots Law by Andrew Dewar Gibb QC, LLD, and that changed my plan. I was amazed at the breadth of areas that the study of law covered. I put in a late application to study law at the University of Glasgow and, luckily, my Higher grades were good enough to be accepted. I have never looked back on my decision.

Could you tell us a bit about your career?

I have been a solicitor for nearly 50 years and have had many and varied roles. I obtained my law degree from the University of Glasgow in 1972 and did my apprenticeship in a big firm in Glasgow. I then did my post-qualifying year in Alex Mitchell & Sons in Musselburgh and had my own room with a wonderful view over the River Esk. 

I worked in Shepherd & Wedderburn for a few years as a personal conveyancing assistant to the late Professor Henry. I also had seven years as a solicitor in the Conveyancing department of the former Lothian Regional Council. Then, when I had my two daughters, I knew I wanted to try to combine my professional and family life so that I could see more of my children. I made a big decision to set up my own law firm from home (quite a bit before working from home became a thing!). I enjoyed this for 26 years! 

I spent 18 years working as a part-time immigration and asylum judge, sitting in Glasgow, London and Belfast. The work was challenging but very rewarding. The Illegal Migration Act 2023 makes huge changes to the ability of genuine asylum seekers to claim asylum in the UK. There is a real danger that their genuine accounts of persecution may not be heard. Hopefully, the legal situation will be clarified soon. In 2012, I participated in a two week training period in the Hungarian Judicial Academy as part of the European Judicial Training Network. It was really interesting, and I was even invited for a meal at the house of one of the Hungarian judges, where I was welcomed on arrival by her young son wearing a Scotland T-shirt! I visited the courts and refugee camps and learned a lot about the Hungarian asylum system.

I also worked for six years as an ordinary member of the Competition Appeal Tribunal, and sat on the very first case heard in Scotland, which took place in the Court of Session. I had two years as a lay member of the Scottish Dental Practice Board, and four and a half years as a member of the School Closure Review Panel. 

I have also been a reporter on complaints with the Law Society of Scotland, and had several years on the Appeals & Reviews Subcommittee. All of these roles I have enjoyed, although operating in very different fields. That is one of the reasons I find the law so interesting.

As a former mentor, what advice would you give to anyone at the start of their career?

I think I would say, remember to stay openminded as regards what a career in law actually might be for you. It is certainly not one thing, so don’t be put off if the first job you get does not suit you for some reason. I would never have thought, at the outset of my career, that I would have been involved in so many interesting but very different areas of the law. And I would certainly never have foreseen the many different roles I had – local government in-house solicitor, solicitor in both large and small firms, sole practitioner and part-time judge in different tribunals. The law covers so many aspects of our lives, there will be something out there which will suit you.

Why would you recommend becoming a Fellow of the Law Society of Scotland?

It is a great way to stay in touch with the legal profession post-retirement. I was one of the first group of fellows when that category of membership began in 2019. It was at a time when I had just stepped down from the School Closure Review Panel. Our inaugural meeting of fellows with Ken Dalling, then President of the Society, was a virtual meeting because of Covid restrictions, and at the time there was a great deal of coverage about the crisis in legal aid in Scotland. Just before the meeting, I emailed to ask whether the meeting could raise the topic of the possibility of the fellows group writing an open letter in support of legal aid solicitors and the whole access to justice issue. My thinking was that the fact that fellows had practised for in excess of 25 years and had considerable experience over that period did lend some weight to the fact that legal aid rates had been declining over a whole generation. I was also aware that the role of fellows was to contribute to the furtherance and health of the legal profession.

I liaised with the Society on the terms of the draft letter, and the outcome was that an open letter, signed by several fellows, later appeared in the Journal and was even referred to in The Times! 

Name one of the biggest changes to the profession since you started?

I suppose one of the biggest changes has been the big increase in the number of women in the legal profession. It is now well over 50%. When I started at the University of Glasgow in 1968, I think there were about 10 or 12 women in their first year studying law in a class of over 100. That is a big change despite the fact there is not yet equality of opportunity for women in senior roles. That remains to be remedied. 

What keeps you busy outside of your interest in the law?

I enjoy keeping up to date with legal news and going for walks in the beautiful gardens near where I live and further afield. Also, I have started taking piano lessons in an attempt to relearn the piano after a break of many, many years. I enjoy knitting too. However, one of the best things is spending time with my three wonderful grandsons.

You can find out more about the Fellow membership and how to apply on the Society’s website.