IT company solicitor is In-house Rising Star

Glasgow-based solicitor Leanne Hammell has been named as winner of the Law Society of Scotland’s In-house Rising Star Award for 2017.

The award was presented yesterday evening following the In-house Lawyers' Conference at the Society’s offices in Edinburgh.

Ms Hammell, the sole in-house solicitor with IT consultancy ECS, has been credited with transforming the legal culture and contractual interaction with clients within her organisation.

Runners-up were Fiona Closs, a solicitor with Aberdeen City Council’s Planning & Environment Team, and Caroline Swinton, a solicitor with the specialist investment management business Kames Capital in Edinburgh.

Eilidh Wiseman, President of the Law Society of Scotland, who presented the award, said: “The Rising Star Award provides an opportunity to celebrate up-and coming-talent in the in-house legal sector, which now makes up almost 30% of the profession.

“All three of our finalists have excelled within their organisations and I’m delighted to congratulate our very deserving winner Leanne and runners up Fiona and Caroline.

“Leanne has shown herself to have exceptional qualities and she has earned praise and respect from her colleagues for her amicable style combined with a proactive approach. Still at a very early stage of her career, she has been undaunted in taking on the role of sole in-house lawyer within ECS and in a relatively short time, has embedded a new legal culture. She has also been credited with helping her company to start generating revenue earlier – a goal which I’m sure every organisation would strive to achieve.”

The judging panel comprised Ms Wiseman, Ayla Skene of Pinsent Masons, the Society's New Lawyer Council member, Thembe McInnes, head of legal at Whyte & Mackay and an In-house Committee member, and Vlad Valiente, principal solicitor at Midlothian Council, an In-house Committee member and previous Rising Star Award winner.