Frances McMenamin QC to give expert update on law of sexual offences

Scottish Legal Training’s Criminal Law Masterclass will take place on Saturday 23 January.

Frances McMenamin QC will provide an update on the law surrounding sexual offences since the inception of the 2009 act.

Ms McMenamin called in 1985 after eight years in the Fiscal Service and has become one of the busiest and most highly respected members of the Criminal Bar.

After serving as junior counsel in the Lockerbie Inquiry, she joined the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service as an Advocate Depute where she prosecuted many difficult and complex cases involving murder, fraud and drug offences including the well known appeals of Hoekstra and others.

Having taken silk in 1998, she has become recognised as the top female criminal defence counsel, appearing constantly in the High Court, particularly in murder, rape and other sexual offences cases. In addition, she has been a Board member of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission since 2010, appointed personally by Lord Bonomy to be a member of his Review Group on Post Corroboration Safeguards, re-appointed since 2010 to the Lord Justice General’s Criminal Courts Rules Council and appointed by the Faculty of Advocates to serve on many of its Committees, including the Disciplinary Tribunal, Professional Standards Committee and Direct Access Committee.

She has also served as vice president of the Faculty Criminal Bar Association. She is also regularly in demand to lecture on various topical legal matters.

Her services to the law as well as to her alma mater, the University of Strathclyde, were acknowledged in May 2009 when she was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor at the University.

The Masterclass will also feature Donald Findlay QC, who will discuss science and expert evidence, Alex Prentice QC who will discuss pre-trial publicity in the internet age and Ian Duguid QC, who will assess the double jeopardy rules. Solicitor Advocate John Keenan will survey the latest developments of the Moorov doctrine.

*Scottish Legal Training has announced a special CPD events rate of £25 plus VAT for trainees, devils and students.

If you would like to take advantage of this fantastic offer, contact advocate Niall McCluskey at: nmlegaltraining@gmail.com.