Blogs & opinions
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Drew McCusker on LGBTQ+ History Month
Solicitor Drew McCusker, founding member of The Glass Network, tells us about the importance pf LGBTQ+ History Month.
"All Human, All Equal" - International Human Rights Day 2021
Fiona Killen, solicitor, member of the Law Society of Scotland’s Constitutional Law Sub-Committee and formerly the Law Society’s representative on the Scottish Government’s Human Rights Leadership Taskforce, shares her thoughts to mark International Human Rights Day 2021
International Day of Disabled Persons - Laura McClinton
On International Day of Disabled Persons, we are delighted to share a blog by Laura McClinton a solicitor with Burness Paull.
This blog was first published by Burness Paull to mark World Arthritis day on 12 October and is reproduced with kind permission.
Finding your reason through decolonising the legal curriculum
To round off Black History Month 2021, University of Aberdeen law lecturers Dr Eddy Wifa and Dr Titilayo Adebola reflect on the need to decolonise the legal curriculum.
Why I work flexibly: Beverley Wood
For our series on flexible working, Beverley Wood, a partner with Morton Fraser LLP, explains how flexible working has developed through her career and the opportunities it can bring for both employers and employees.
Why I work flexibly: Kevin Clancy
For our series focusing on flexible working, Kevin Clancy, a partner at Shepherd and Wedderburn, explains how flexible working enables him to combine being a solicitor and a FIFA international football referee.
Why I work flexibly: Mimi Stewart
As part of our series on flexible working, Mimi Stewart, a legal director at Morton Fraser LLP, explains why self discipline, responsibility and being reminded "you don't work on Fridays" helps her to manage her work-life balance.
Why I work flexibly: John Grady
In the second in our series looking at flexible working, John Grady, a partner in Shepherd and Wedderburn’s regulation and markets team, explains why working flexibly is about much more than childcare and the positive influence it's had on his working life.
Why I work flexibly: Lindsey Cartwright
In the first of our series of blogs focusing on flexible working, Lindsey Cartwright, a partner with Morton Fraser and Accredited Specialist in Employment Law, shares her reasons for working flexibly and how it can work for everyone.
Easter: Bringing hope in troubled times
For Easter, Anthony Horan, Director of the Catholic Parliamentary Office of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, considers the meaning of this important Christian festival and the hope it offers as we begin to emerge from lockdown.
International Women's Day 2021: What I've learned
Elaine MacGlone, our Equality & Diversity Manager and a solicitor, reflects on what she's learned from our series of blogs celebrating IWD 2021 and how even the smallest changes can make a difference.
International Women's Day 2021: Inequality is everyone's issue
Professor Gillian Black, Chair of Scots Private Law at the University of Edinburgh Law School and Commissioner at the Scottish Law Commission, examines why ensuring women enter the profession has not been enough to create real change and lays down a challenge to male colleagues and friends.
International Women's Day 2021: My law is one that champions women
Claire Hawthorne, a trainee solicitor at Burness Paull LLP, discusses why her fears of entering a 'male-dominated' profession proved unfounded and the inspiring changes she has witnessed.
International Women's Day 2021: Goodbye Queen Bee
Charlotte Edgar, an associate at CMS and the New Lawyers Representative on our Council, argues it's time to ditch the Queen Bee Syndrome narrative in favour of collaboration and support, so that all women can benefit from the successes of each other.
International Women’s Day 2021: Choose to challenge and change
Naeema Sajid, solicitor, co-founder of SEMLA, and member of the Family Law Sub Committee, reflects on the enduring importance of International Women's Day, why gender equality remains an issue in the legal profession, and the promise she makes to her granddaughter.
LGBT+ History Month: My trans journey
To mark the conclusion of LGBT+ History Month 2021, Amanda Millar, current President of the Law Society of Scotland, and the first openly LGBT+ person to hold the role, reflects on her own trans awareness journey.
Chinese New Year: Eat For Hope
As Lunar New Year celebrations kick off across many Asian cultures on 12 February this year, Ling Deng, a solicitor at Thorntons Law LLP, reflects on what the Chinese New Year means to her, with its rituals, symbolism and message of hope for the coming year, after a tough 12 months.
LGBT+ History Month: Looking back, looking forward
Rob Marrs, Head of Education at the Law Society of Scotland, reflects on the progress made towards equality and inclusion in the legal profession, and the work still to be done.
Advent: Glimmers of light in the season of waiting
This year's Christmas may have been overtaken by the coronavirus pandemic, but there is still light to be found in the darkness of these difficult times, says, Mary Macleod, Solicitor of the Church of the Church of Scotland Law Department.
Christmas: A well-known story
With this year's Christmas celebrations taking on a rather different guise to normal, Michael P. Clancy, Director of Law Reform at the Law Society of Scotland, considers the story at the heart of this Christian festival and the enduring comfort and hope it brings.
The Christian message of Christmas: Make a wonderful life
To celebrate Christmas this year, Jamie Kerr, a Partner at Burness Paull, reflects on the message of hope and redemption that this festive time brings.
Disability and the legal profession
For the United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, John Ballantine, a member of our Equalities Law Sub-Committee, a retired solicitor, a disabled person and a Member of the SSC Society, reflects on six ways that life has changed for disabled solicitors, since he qualified in 1981.
International Men's Day 2020: Parental leave for dads should be part of our new normal
Tim Mouncer, Public Affairs Manager at the Law Society of Scotland, tells us about his experience of taking shared parental leave and his hopes that it becomes an expected norm for fathers.
International Men's Day 2020: A letter to my son
Tim Taylor, an Associate Solicitor at Hastings Legal and member of our Property and Land Law Reform Law Sub-Committee, writes a letter to his 16-month-old son Ben reflecting on men's wellbeing and what it means to be a "good man".