Faculty welcomes seven new advocates

Seven new members were admitted to the Faculty of Advocates today, through the traditional admission ceremomy.

They are: Ann MacNeill, Amy Donachie, Adam McKinlay, David Adams, Kevin Henry, Ewen Brown and Alex Sutherland.

In the first part of the two-stage ceremony, the Dean of Faculty, Gordon Jackson QC, said the public office of advocate carried real privileges and corresponding responsibilities.

“You have become part of a great national institution which has played, throughout its existence, a very significant role in the legal and cultural life of this nation. As a member of Faculty you will play your own particular part in the future of that institution,” he told the intrants.

The seven made the declaration of allegiance in the Court of Session before Lord Clark, who declared: "It is a genuine pleasure and a privilege to welcome you as members of the Faculty of Advocates and to congratulate you on this great achievement. The Faculty has long been an important and distinguished organisation. It has commonly attracted some of the ablest minds of each generation, and it continues to thrive.

"It is truly one of the great features of our society that the general public, businesses and other organisations have at their disposal people like you – independently-minded advocates who will take on and fight their causes.

"I very much hope that you thoroughly enjoy your work at the bar and the camaraderie of your colleagues."

Ann MacNeill, from Balloch, enjoyed a career in risk management in the banking sector before graduating from the University of Edinburgh in 2005 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. She trained as a solicitor in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service and qualified in 2008. She was a procurator fiscal depute before commencing devilling. She joins Hastie Stable.

Amy Donachie, now of Westwater Advocates, attended the University of Dundee, her home city, and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2008. She trained as a solicitor with Drummond Miller LLP and qualified in 2011, and was an associate in the firm before deciding to come to the bar.

Adam McKinlay, from Edinburgh, graduated in 2007 from the University of Edinburgh with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He trained as a solicitor with Brodies LLP and qualified in 2010. Latterly, he held the position of associate. He has joined Axiom Advocates.

David Adams, who also joins Westwater Advocates, grew up in Glasgow and obtained the degree of Bachelor of Laws at the University of Glasgow in 2006. Before setting out on a career as an advocate, he was a senior associate at Levy & McRae Solicitors LLP, where he had trained as a solicitor and qualified in 2009.

Kevin Henry, from Erskine, studied at the University of Glasgow and graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 2006. He joined the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service to train as a solicitor and qualified in 2010. He served as a procurator fiscal depute before becoming a legal officer at the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission. He now becomes a member of Compass Chambers.

Ewen Brown, from Coatbridge, graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1991 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He trained with McClure Naismith LLP and qualified as a solicitor in 1994. He was assumed as a partner in 1999 and went on to become head of the firm’s dispute resolution teams in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London. He then served as head of disputes at Morisons LLP from 2015. His stable is Terra Firma Chambers.

Alex Sutherland, of Edinburgh, who has joined Ampersand Advocates, studied German and English Language at the University of Edinburgh and graduated in 2012, and completed his LLB at the University of Glasgow in 2014. His training as a solicitor was with Addleshaw Goddard LLP, formerly HBJ Gateley, and he qualified in 2017.