Austin Lafferty elected dean of the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow

Mr Lafferty, who has run his own multi-branch legal firm for more than 30 years, took office last week. He is a former president of the Law Society of Scotland and also a broadcaster, journalist and artist.

He said: “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.”

Outgoing dean, Donald Reid, of Mitchells Roberton, was appointed an honorary member at last week’s AGM, with the faculty praising the tenacity of his leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “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.”

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.

“We are very grateful to Donald.”

Stephen Vallance of Harper Macleod was appointed as vice dean.

The Royal Faculty, which serves the legal profession in Glasgow and West Central Scotland, was incorporated prior to 1668 but opened at its current site in the city’s Nelson Mandela Place in 1857. It has a richly decorated interior and houses a 200-year-old law library, which was modelled on Sansovino’s Library in Venice and is designed in the style of a Venetian palazzo, or townhouse.

The Category-A listed building, a jewel in the city’s architectural heritage, is currently undergoing a £200,000 programme of renovations.