Faculty of Advocates welcomes seven intrants

Seven new members were welcomed to the Faculty of Advocates at a ceremony today.

Five have been admitted to the practising bar – Vincent Lunny, Neil Shand, Jane Rattray, Dana Forbes and Anne Bennie. They have wide-ranging backgrounds and experience, from war crimes to dispute resolution. Martin Hogg and Sheriff Susan Craig have become non-practising members of Faculty.

During the first of two ceremonies James Wolffe QC, Dean of Faculty, said that those joining the practising bar had undertaken "the most rigorous training course in the skills of the professional advocate which is available in this country". He suggested that the training "will have changed you in ways that you may not even yet realise".

He observed: "It is a reflection of the central place of the Faculty in our legal system that we admit to the practising bar five experienced practising lawyers and, at the same time, admit, as non-practising members, a professor of law and a serving sheriff."

Mr Wolffe added that one of the privileges of the public office of advocate was "participation in the fellowship of this great national institution."

He said: "I am confident that the friendship which comes with that fellowship will be a source of support for each of you. And, in turn, you will, I hope, make your own contribution to the corporate life of the profession which welcomes you today."

In a second ceremony, Lord Glennie administered the declaration of allegiance to each of the new members and admitted them, on behalf of the Supreme Courts of Scotland, to the public office of advocate.

Lord Glennie said: "The office of advocate is one of the cornerstones of our legal system. You are now an officer of the court. On you rests the burden of maintaining the rule of law, protecting the vulnerable, and holding wrongdoers, even governments, to account.

"The life of an advocate can be hard – long hours, challenging cases, difficult clients, impossible judges... but you must always remember that being an advocate can be a lot of fun. You make good friends. The camaraderie at the bar is second to none. And you must enjoy your work. Unless you enjoy it, you will not do it well. So, yes, work hard, but also play hard. That is the challenge the bar presents."

Vincent Lunny is a graduate of Glasgow University and obtained a Master of Laws from the University of British Columbia. After returning to Scotland, he qualified as a solicitor and worked for several years for the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service. Between 2005 and 2008 in The Hague, he was involved in prosecuting war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia. He became the first full-time Compliance Officer for the Scottish Football Association, a post he gave up to start devilling.

Neil Shand grew up in Aberdeenshire and graduated from Aberdeen University with a Bachelor of Laws in 2000, and the Diploma in Legal Practice in 2001. He trained at the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service and qualified as a solicitor in 2003. He continued to work for the COPFS, as a procurator fiscal depute and then as a senior procurator fiscal depute.

Jane Rattray is from Glasgow. She graduated from Edinburgh University with a Bachelor of Laws in 1988, and the Diploma in Legal Practice in 1990, and a Master of Laws (European Law) in 2014. She trained at Balfour + Manson, and qualified as a solicitor in 1992. She worked for both Balfour + Manson and Blacklock Thorley, before setting up her own firm of Edinburgh Law in 2002, where she was partner.

Dana Forbes, from Fife, is a graduate of Dundee University – Bachelor of Laws in 2000 and the Diploma in Legal Practice in 2001. She qualified as a solicitor in 2003 after training with the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service, and went on to spend many years in the Appeals Unit in Crown Office. She held the post of senior procurator fiscal depute before deciding to become an advocate.

Anne Bennie, from Airdrie, graduated from Glasgow University and qualified as a solicitor in 1994 with Levy & McRae, where she became litigation partner in 2000. She left the firm in 2008 after the birth of her son and, following a career break, she returned to private practice and immediately prior to calling was an associate in the dispute resolution and employment teams at HBJ Claim Solutions.

Professor Martin Hogg (non-practising) has a long association with Edinburgh University. He graduated in 1990 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, followed by a Master of Laws in 1992 and Diploma in Legal Practice in 1993. He qualified as a solicitor in 1995, and later that year he took up a post as a lecturer at the university, being appointed a senior lecturer in 2003. In 2007, he completed a PhD at the university. He is currently Professor of the Law of Obligations at Edinburgh Law School.

Sheriff Susan Craig (non-practising) is a graduate of Aberdeen University and during her career as a solicitor she became partner in both Brodies and Shepherd & Wedderburn. She gained civil rights of audience in 1994 and became an accredited employment law specialist. She sat as an employment judge from 2003 to 2013, and was appointed a part-time sheriff in 2011 and a full-time sheriff in 2013.