Aberdein Considine lawyer secures exclusive legal honour

A litigation partner at Aberdein Considine has become one of only a handful of lawyers in Scotland to secure a coveted legal title.

Leonie Donald has been awarded the “Signet Accreditation”, a specialist post-qualification honour for Scottish solicitors.

Miss Donald, who is based at the firm’s Edinburgh legal headquarters in Canning Street, joins an exclusive club of just 21 commercial litigators to hold the accolade.

The programme, which has now been running for eight years, is designed to test not only technical legal knowledge in a chosen practice area, but also skills that are vital for overall effectiveness from a client perspective.

These include communication, commercial awareness, relevant non-legal knowledge and insight.

Ms Donald said: “The assessment consisted of a mock client interview followed by written advice, two home assignments and a three hour written exam.

“Entrants require to achieve a 70 per cent pass - as a result of this there are few accredited specialists in Scotland, so I am very pleased.”

Miss Donald is one of just two people who passed the assessment this year.

The Signet Accreditation is an initiative of The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet, Scotland’s independent association for lawyers and one of the world’s oldest independent professional bodies.

Jacqueline Law, managing partner at Aberdein Considine, said: “The Signet Accreditation is a great opportunity for lawyers and their firms to differentiate themselves, as it challenges them to be the very best they can be.

“This is what we strive to do every day at Aberdein Considine and I am delighted, but not surprised, to see Leonie’s hard work and sharp legal mind rewarded in this way.”