Church of Scotland names its new solicitor

The Church of Scotland has appointed Mary Macleod as the new Solicitor of the Church and Law Agent of the General Assembly.

Ms Macleod, the current depute solicitor, will take over as head of a team of nine in-house solicitors and seven support staff, delivering legal advice and support to the Church’s 1,400 congregations as well as to its councils, committees, statutory corporations and trusts. She succeeds Janette Wilson, who is retiring.

After growing up in the Isle of Lewis, Ms Macleod graduated in law from the University of Edinburgh and trained in Inverness, before going on to work in private practice in Edinburgh. She was appointed depute solicitor to the Church in 1995.

At first a specialist in private property, since joining the Church she has gained expertise in employment, contracts, data protection and charity law. A key part of her current role involves giving legal advice and support to the Church’s Social Care Council, Scotland’s largest third-sector social care provider.

Ms Macleod said: “If you believe that you should choose your predecessor carefully, then I have got it very wrong since it will be difficult to live up to the standards set by Janette Wilson.

“The Law Department is a great team and I look forward to working with colleagues old and new to continue to support the valuable – and often unsung – work done by the Church throughout Scotland and beyond”.