Tributes paid to Law Society of Scotland Honorary Members

Leading figures of the Scottish legal profession paid tribute to the contributions of four of the Law Society of Scotland’s Honorary Members.Alison Atack and Graham Matthews, President and immediate Past President of the Law Society hosted the event at the Law Society’s Edinburgh offices, bringing together over 300 years of collective legal experience.

Alison Atack said: I could not possibly summarise the achievements and contributions which the Right Hon. Lord Mackay of Clashfern, Kenneth Pritchard , John Laughland and Adrian Ward have made to the administration of justice, the Rule of Law, human rights and advance of the justice systems of Scotland, the United Kingdom and Europe.

“The tartan thread which binds all of them to this Society is the devotion to public service which they have all given so willingly, over the course of their careers and beyond. It was a genuine privilege to have the opportunity to thank them all for that service.”

Adrian Ward MBE most recently received the Society’s honorary membership in 2017 and is the solicitor credited with pioneering much of Scotland’s modern law on incapacity and mental disabilities. He has convened the Law Society of Scotland’s Mental Health and Disability Sub-Committee for almost 30 years and won the Scotsman Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2014 Scottish Legal Awards.

John Laughland became an honorary member in 2002, with thirty years’ experience in private practice and twenty years with the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal (SSDT), ten of which he served as Chairman.

During his 21 years as the second Chief Executive of the Law Society of Scotland, Kenneth Pritchard OBE played a key role in the Society’s contribution to the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980.  Mr Pritchard became an honorary member in 1997.

Lord Mackay of Clashfern received his honorary membership in 1988 and counts Queen’s Counsel, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, Lord Advocate and Lord Chancellor amongst his roles and titles in a long and distinguished career.

Honorary members Winnie Ewing and Professor Ross Harper CBE were unable to attend.

Left to Right: Adrian Ward MBE, Kenneth Pritchard OBE, Graham Matthews, Alison Atack, Lord Mackay of Clashfern and John Laughland at the Law Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh office, 26 July 2018