Online voting boosts Society Council turnout
A record turnout has been reported by the Law Society of Scotland for this year's Council elections, with solicitors now being able to vote online.
Solicitor voter turnout was 27% across the five contested constituencies, up from an average of 17% in previous years.
Six new faces and four returning Council members will take their places on Council for the next three years, with their first Council meeting taking place on Friday 29 May.
The successful candidates were:
Dingwall, Dornoch, Elgin, Inverness, Kirkwall, Lerwick, Lochmaddy, Portree, Stornoway, Tain & Wick: George MacWilliam, MacArthur & Co, Inverness, and Sheekha Saha, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar Council, Stornoway;
Duns, Haddington, Jedburgh, Peebles and Selkirk: Iain Burke, Bannerman Burke, Selkirk, and Patricia Thom, Patricia Thom & Co, Galashiels;
Campbeltown, Dumbarton, Dunoon, Fort William, Oban & Rothesay (uncontested): Philip Lafferty, Clyde Defence Lawyers Ltd, Clydebank, and Campbell Read, Stewart Balfour & Sutherland, Campbeltown;
Arbroath, Dundee & Forfar: Murray Etherington, Thorntons Law, Dundee;
Alloa, Falkirk, Linlithgow & Stirling: Ken Dalling, Dalling Solicitors, Stirling, and John Mulholland, Marshall Wilson Law Group Limited, Falkirk;
England & Wales: Naomi Pryde, Matthew Arnold & Baldwin, London.
Lorna Jack, chief executive of the Society, said: "It’s great to see more of our members making their voices heard this year, whether that’s by voting for their preferred candidate or putting themselves forward to help their professional body lead and support a successful respected Scottish legal profession.
“I would like to congratulate our newly elected Council members. This is an exciting time for the Law Society and I look forward to working with them over the coming years.
"I offer my commiserations to those not elected this time round and want to pay a particular tribute to Janet Hood, who has served on Council for the last 17 years and has made an enormous contribution to the work of the Society. I hope Janet and the other candidates will continue to stay involved with their professional body, particularly through the important work of our various committees."