Law Society Council election results

Six new members join one familiar face on the Law Society of Scotland Council as representatives for two the constituencies of Aberdeen, Banff, Peterhead and Stonehaven and Edinburgh.

Ten solicitors stood for the five available Edinburgh seats and Colin Anderson was successfully re-elected after three years as a Council member. Colin will be joined by: Susan Oswald, an accredited child law specialist from SKO Family Law; Jim Stephenson, a solicitor advocate and current member of the Society’s Public Policy Committee from Thorley Stephenson; Sheila Webster, from Davidson Chalmers LLP; and Susan Murray, a litigations solicitor in the Scottish Health Service, whose election reflects the increasing numbers of Scottish solicitors working in-house.

Following a period of more than a decade during which the Aberdeen, Banff, Peterhead and Stonehaven election has gone uncontested, seven solicitors competed for the two available seats in the area.

Jane Dickers, a partner from Gray and Gray LLP, and Deborah Anne Wilson, from Wilson Defence, are both new to the Council and will represent their north-east colleagues for the next three years.

25% of Aberdeen solicitors logged on to vote for their preferred candidate and a 15% turnout in Edinburgh was more than double that of the 2014 election.

Lorna Jack, Chief Executive of the Society, said: “It’s great to see increasing numbers of solicitors taking an interest in the work of their professional body.

“I would also like to pay particular tribute to Jane MacEachran, who is standing down after serving on Council for the last 15 years, for making an enormous contribution to the work of the Society.

"I hope Jane and the other candidates who were not elected this time around will continue to stay involved, participating in the important work of our various committees."

The candidates for the constituency of Airdrie, Hamilton and Lanark were unopposed and Paul Gostelow, (Baker Gostelow Law Ltd, Blantyre and East Kilbride) and Paul Nicolson (Nicolson O'Brien Solicitors, Airdrie) have taken up their seats.

The election in Ayr, Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Stranraer was also uncontested and Lauren Fowler (Frazer Coogans, Ayr) joins Paul Matthews (Grieve, Grierson, Moodie & Walker, Dumfries), who has been a Council member since 2012.

Lorna Jack said: “Congratulations to all of the successful candidates, a big thank you to everyone who voted or put their names forward for election this year and of course to all of the outgoing candidates whose work has been so valuable.”

Further information about Council and Council member details are available here.