Vice President 2024/25 | Patricia Thom

Patricia originally qualified in Canada with an LLB from Saskatchewan and then as a Barrister and Solicitor in the Northwest Territories and Alberta. After practising there for five years, she emigrated to Scotland and requalified as a Scottish solicitor.

Once Patricia qualified as a solicitor, she began work with the local authority, originally the Scottish Regional Council and then after reorganisation, the Scottish Borders Council. She advised on a range of things from copyright to computer contracts, though her main responsibilities were to the Social Work Department and Education.

Patricia left the Scottish Borders Council after 13 years to join a high street private practice. Most of her practice work with them was civil court practice, with an emphasis on Family Law and applications in connection with Adults with Incapacity. Patricia left that firm after eight years to start up her own practice which, while dealing with executries, and employment law, was mainly focused on Family Law and Adults with Incapacity law. Whilst running her own practice in 2015, she was elected to the Law Society Council as the representative for the Scottish Borders and East Lothian. In 2018, Patricia joined another local high street practice to manage their civil court department and in February 2020 became Convenor for the Law Society’s Civil Legal Aid Committee.

Patricia retired from practice in 2021. She is a Safeguarder, Curator and Child Welfare Reporter and continues to sit on the Law Society Council.

Patricia is to be the President of the Law Society of Scotland in 2025/26 and became Vice President in May 2024.