Voting open for Law Society of Scotland Council elections

Voting is now open for the Law Society of Scotland Council elections. 

Four solicitor advocates are competing to become the first ever Council representative for Scottish solicitor advocates and five Scottish solicitors who work outside of Great Britain are vying to become the Society’s first international Council member.

The addition of these two new seats was approved at the Society’s Annual General Meeting in May in response to the legal profession’s changing member profile.

Lorna Jack, Chief Executive of the Law Society said, “The ever-evolving face of the legal profession and our increasingly diverse member profile has given rise to the addition of two new categories of Council member. 

“We are committed to ensuring that the interests of all Scottish solicitors are represented and so I would strongly encourage our ‘international’ members and Scottish solicitor advocates to take a few minutes to find out which of your colleagues is standing and get voting.”

Candidates for this year's contested Council elections are:

Scottish solicitor advocate Council member – 1 Council seat

• Douglas Jaap, DWJ Law, Falkirk
• Tony Jones QC, BTO Solicitors LLP, Edinburgh
• Tom Marshall, Tom Marshall Limited, Burntisland
• Iain Paterson, Paterson Bell Ltd, Edinburgh

You can read the solicitor advocate candidates' personal statements here.

International Council member – 1 Council seat

• Alasdair Campbell, Citibank Europe plc, Dublin
• Siobhan Kahmann, Covington and Burling LLP, Brussels
• Robert MacLean, Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP, Brussels
• Kirsty Mciver, Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department, Dubai
• Anthony Murray, Murray LLP, New York

You can read the international candidates' personal statements here.

Solicitor advocates can vote online for their preferred candidates of the four standing and Scottish solicitors working internationally can select from five candidates.

Members have until 12 noon on Wednesday 20 September 2017 to cast their vote on the members’ section of the Society’s website.

The Council is the Society’s principal decision making body and the successful candidates will be responsible for representing the views of their solicitor advocate and international colleagues at Council meetings for the next three years.

The results of the election will be announced shortly after the election closing date.  The elected Council members will be invited to attend the 27 October meeting of the Council.

Please contact the Registrar team on registrar@lawscot.org.uk or 0131 476 8367 if you have any queries.