Lafferty elected Dean of Royal Faculty in Glasgow

Former Law Society of Scotland President Austin Lafferty has been elected Dean of the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow.

Mr Lafferty, who runs his own legal firm in Glasgow and the surrounding area took office at the AGM of the Royal Faculty on 3 June as Donald Reid stepped down after two years.

Stephen Vallance of HM Connect (Harper Macleod) was elected as Vice Dean, and Ahsan Mustafa and Paul Neilly were welcomed as new council members.

Mr Lafferty commented: "I am honoured and very proud of this appointment. It means a lot to me.

"I regard this one of the pinnacles of my wider work. Indeed, it may well be the final representative appointment in my legal career.

"My brother Philip is also currently Dean of the Faculty of Solicitors of Dunbartonshire.

"The Royal Faculty is a highly collegiate organisation and my job will be to foster and promote that collegiality during my term in office. Collegiality says everything about what a good profession should be, what a good local organisation should be, what I aspire to and what I welcome from others.

"I look forward to the two years ahead."

Among the projects under his care during his term will be the ongoing £200,000 programme of renovations at the Royal Faculty's category-A listed building in Nelson Mandela Place.

Outgoing Dean Donald Reid, of Mitchells Roberton, was appointed an honorary member, with the Faculty praising the tenacity of his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Paying tribute to his "friend, colleague and mentor", Mr Lafferty said: "I cannot think of anybody who has done the job better and I certainly cannot think of anybody who has done the job in more challenging circumstances."

Mr Reid responded: "This is an honour I would never have dreamt would be mine in the earlier stages of my career.

"I am very grateful to the Faculty for conferring this upon me."