Law Society launch Christmas charity campaign to help legal stars shine

Lawscot Foundation trustee Laura Butcher got the bauble rolling when she made the first donation to the Lawscot Foundation as part of this year’s Baublefest campaign.

For every donation made at the Law Society’s Edinburgh office or through the Lawscot Foundation website, a new bauble featuring the names of generous individuals or organisations will be added to the Law Society’s Christmas tree.

The person or organisation making the largest donation will be invited, along with a guest, to the Law Society dinner on Friday 26 January and their name will be displayed on the Christmas tree star.

The Law Society launched its Baublefest campaign for the first time in December 2016 to raise much needed funds for its new charity.  The Lawscot Foundation had been set up earlier that year to provide financial and mentoring support to students from less advantaged backgrounds and drive fair and equal access to the legal profession.

Laura Butcher said, “I am absolutely thrilled to be the first donor in this year’s Baublefest.  I became a trustee of the Lawscot Foundation earlier this year because I am passionate that academically gifted and driven people should be able to pursue their chosen careers, without their financial situations getting in the way. 

“The Lawscot Foundation will make this a reality for a small number of deserving individuals and of course, the more money we raise, the more people we can support.”  

Last year the festive fundraiser generated over £2,500, equivalent to the level of financial support given by the Foundation to one student for a year. In 2017 the Foundation has awarded bursaries to eight talented and very deserving students, who otherwise would have struggled to realise their ambitions to study law.

Rob Marrs, the Society’s Head of Education Policy said, “The selection process for the Lawscot Foundation’s first bursary recipients earlier this year was a truly humbling experience.  We received applications from talented individuals who have shown extraordinary determination in challenging circumstances and the Foundation is now supporting some genuinely inspirational people through their law degrees. 

“We hope that Baublefest will capture imaginations and that our currently very bare tree will inspire people to give generously investing in fair and equal access to the legal profession.” 

The Foundation was established in 2016 following the Law Society’s 2014 review of fair access and potential barriers to entering the legal profession. 

Get the bauble rolling by donating on the Lawscot Foundation website.

SCIO Registered Scottish charity number SC046547