Anne Stewart steps up as In-house Lawyers Committee convener

Public sector in-house solicitor Anne Stewart has been elected as convener of the Law Society of Scotland’s In-house Lawyers Committee (ILC).

Anne, Head of Legal and Corporate Governance at The Scottish Social Services Council. has worked in-house for more than 20 years and has been a member of the ILC since 2020. She succeeds co-conveners Sheekha Saha and Vlad Valiente who have led the committee since 2019.

Anne said: “I’m thrilled to be taking up convenership of the committee. I believe passionately in the value and importance of the in-house community and am committed to engaging with in-house solicitors across the country and representing the interests of the sector. Since joining the ILC, I’ve been active in its work, from attending law fairs and hosting trainee roundtables to developing the In-house Best Practice Advanced course.”

“I recognise the common challenges across the community, including meeting employers’ expectations to do more with less and the need to demonstrate the value of an in-house team. I’m very much looking forward to speaking up for and supporting my in-house colleagues whether they work in the private or public sectors within organisations large and small. In-house solicitors do incredible work and I’m keen to make sure that I can represent my colleagues both within the Society and more widely.

“Sheekha and Vlad have been fantastic ambassadors for the in-house community and I’m very excited about building on the great work they have been doing, alongside the hugely dedicated and talented members of the ILC who bring so much experience and energy to the work we’re doing.”

Former ILC Co-convener, Sheekha Saha, said: “I’m delighted to see Anne take up the reins as the committee’s next convener. She has played an active role since joining the committee five years ago and will be a terrific advocate for solicitors working in Scotland’s in-house sector.

Vlad Valiente, former ILC Co-convener, added: “Anne’s appointment is great news for the in-house community. She has a deep understanding of both the opportunities and the challenges that are particular to working in-house and will ensure the committee continues to develop and engage with this key group of Law Society members.”

Patricia Thom, Law Society of Scotland President said: “Sheekha and Vlad have done so much for the in-house lawyer community during their joint convenership of the In-house Lawyers Committee over the past six years. They have done a power of work engaging with this key sector of our membership and ensuring their voice is represented within the Law Society.

“I’m delighted to congratulate Anne as she takes up the reins. As the ILC’s new convener, I’m also very pleased to welcome her to the Society’s governing Council to represent in-house practitioners. Almost a third of our members work within public, private and third sector organisations and Anne’s experience over the past two decades means she has real depth of knowledge and insight into the issues concerning in-house lawyers.

“I wish Anne every success as convener and look forward to working with her on Council.”