Glasgow set to welcome 2015 Commonwealth Law Conference
Glasgow is preparing to welcome one of the most prestigious conferences on the international legal calendar, the 19th Commonwealth Law Conference.
More than 700 delegates from the legal elite comprising of judges, lawyers and academics will travel to the city from across the Commonwealth to attend the conference at Glasgow’s SECC from Sunday to Thursday (April 12-16); generating a welcome economic boost in the region of £1.4 million.
The biennial conference last took place in 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa and has been brought to Glasgow in partnership between the Law Society of Scotland, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC).
This year’s Commonwealth Law Conference will help deliver the city’s legacy aspirations following the success of the best ever Commonwealth Games staged in Glasgow last year.
One of Glasgow’s key ambitions is to use the Games to help develop and strengthen the city’s relationship with Commonwealth Nations, driving internationalisation and growing Glasgow’s reputation as a Commonwealth City.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: “I’m delighted to welcome the delegates and organisers of the Commonwealth Law Conference to Glasgow. Not only will it mark the return of this prestigious meeting to Europe and the UK for the first time in a decade, it will also greatly contribute to the legacy derived from the city’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games last year.
“Hosting major conferences like the Commonwealth Law Conference reinforces the city’s reputation as a world-class business tourism destination.”
Alistair Morris, President of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “The Commonwealth Law Conference provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase Scotland and its legal profession to lawyers from around the globe.
“It seems very fitting that we are hosting this prestigious event in Glasgow following the huge success of the 2014 Commonwealth Games – and I have no doubt that our Commonwealth colleagues will be as warmly welcomed by the city.
“2015 is also a particularly appropriate year for the conference to take place in Scotland following the referendum on independence. While the people of Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom, it marks an interesting era for both Scottish and UK politics.
“Scotland retains a unique legal system, which has much to offer our Commonwealth colleagues.
“Hosting the event in Glasgow will not only give our solicitor members and the wider legal profession in Scotland the chance to benefit from sharing ideas and establishing lasting new relationships with their Commonwealth counterparts, it will also allow legal professionals from the Commonwealth nations and beyond to come to an exciting jurisdiction of five million people with a modern and flexible devolved legislature that seeks to address the social, economic and legal challenges of the 21st century in an innovative way.
“We have a very exciting programme on offer and we, along with our many colleagues across the legal profession, are very much looking forward to hosting the Commonwealth Law Conference 2015 and to welcoming our visitors to Scotland’s biggest city.”
Kathleen Warden, Head of Association Conferences at the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC), said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming the delegates and organisers of the Commonwealth Law conference to Glasgow and the SECC.
“This is a major international conference that was attracted to the city through the combined efforts of GCMB, SECC and our city partners and is a major success story for us all. The organisers have put their faith in the many qualities we have as a venue and a city and we’re looking forward to giving them an unforgettable experience.”
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Notes to editors:
About the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association
The CLA conference was last held in Scotland in 1977. Since then, it has been held across the world including Hong Kong, Jamaica, New Zealand, Canada, Kenya and South Africa. For more information on the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association click here.
About Glasgow City Marketing Bureau
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) is the official destination marketing organisation (DMO) for the city of Glasgow. As custodian of the PEOPLE MAKE GLASGOW brand, GCMB works with partners, stakeholders and businesses to position and promote Glasgow across national and international markets as one of Europe’s most vibrant, dynamic and diverse cities in which to live, work, study, invest and visit. For more information, visit: peoplemakeglasgow.com and follow @peoplemakeGLA.
About the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre
The SECC is situated in the heart of Glasgow, Scotland’s cultural and commercial capital, and is one of the UK’s largest integrated venues, purpose-built to provide exhibition, conference and concert space. Capable of delivering events to well over 10,000 delegates, the SECC has space with flexibility; from the iconic Clyde Auditorium to the Loch Suite of meeting rooms, all joined to 22, 355m2 of exhibition space. For more information about the SECC, visit www.secc.co.uk.
For more information, contact:
Graeme Watson
Senior Corporate Communications Manager
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau
+44 (0)141 566 0835 / +44 (0)7534 982 312