Mr Deacon called to the bar yesterday after serving for three years as law clerk to the Lord President. In that role, he assisted Inner House judges in appellate matters across civil law.

As a qualified solicitor on secondment to the Lord President’s Private Office, he drafted procedural rules for civil courts and tribunals and advised the Scottish Civil Justice Council and its sub-committees.

In particular, he worked on a considerable number of cases concerning each of commercial contracts, public law, planning and tax and has more recently during devilling gained greater experience of professional and product liability, as well commercial and company law. Previously, he spent 12 months of his traineeship as a solicitor in litigation teams within the Government Legal Service for Scotland and in the Office of the Advocate General. He has a particular interest in competition law, which he studied at postgraduate level.

Emma Boffey joinws as a Faculty Scholar today, following seven years’ experience as a solicitor practising with international law firm, CMS. She was qualified as a solicitor in both Scotland and in England & Wales and specialises in commercial dispute resolution, including contract, technology and financial services matters.

She also has a keen interest in company/corporate matters, where she acted as solicitor in a number of leading reported decisions. As a solicitor, Ms Boffey was regularly involved in high value and complex first instance litigation before the Commercial Court and appellate proceedings before the Inner House of the Court of Session. She also has experience of resolving matters through mediation. She served as president of the Scottish Young Lawyers’ Association from 2014-2016.

Kenny McBrearty QC, director of Axiom said: “Axiom is delighted to welcome both Neil and Emma to the stable, given their backgrounds and experience both are without doubt valuable additions to Axiom. I wish them every success in their chosen paths at the bar”.