Death takes place of Glasgow solicitor Margaret Scanlan

The death has taken place of Margaret Scanlan, a well known civil litigation solicitor in Glasgow.

Like her late husband Michael, a former President of the Law Society of Scotland, Ms Scanlan was formerly a partner with Russells Gibson McCaffrey. A family lawyer, she served a term as chair of the Family Law Association, as well as editor of the Family Law Bulletin, and for a period was a regular contributor to the Journal. She was also a founder member of Strathkelvin Women’s Aid. For a time she also offered a helpline service to Family Law Association members. 

From 1995 to 2001 she was a member of the Sheriff Court Rules Council and a member of the Legal Defence Union.

She was awarded an OBE in the 2006 New Year Honours list in particular recognition of her work as a member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board, on which she served from 1997 to 2007. Paying tribute in the Journal, the then chair of SLAB, Jean Couper, wrote: "She has and continues to demonstrate huge commitment to the development and delivery of legal aid so that those who cannot otherwise afford it can have access to justice. Margaret has played a key role in the many improvements to legal aid, particularly civil legal aid, in the past few years. She brings an acute understanding of the needs of both applicants and advisers, and always seeks development of legal aid to better meet client needs, to be efficient to deliver while providing fair remuneration to those who deliver it, and to deliver good value for the Scottish taxpayer."

Ms Scanlan also served on the board of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission when it was first established.

She died on Saturday morning, 6 January 2018.