Kathleen HS Preston

“Kathleen Helen Simpson Hay was born on 1 September, 1951 in Aberdeen to Archie and Molly Hay. She excelled at school, and when she left Aberdeen High School for Girls in 1969 she did so as the School Dux in Art and the top girl in the Aberdeen University Bursary competition. She studied law at Aberdeen University, one of only 12 women in a class of 70, and graduated with a 1st Class honours degree in 1973. She moved to Edinburgh that year and went to work at Fyfe Ireland WS where she completed her legal traineeship.

“She was the first female in the history of the firm to be legally qualified. She remained with the firm and in 1976 became a partner at the age of 25 in charge of the Litigation Department; one of the youngest partners in Edinburgh and one of the only females. She was also one of the founding members of the Scottish Young Lawyers Association. An early career highlight was representing clients at House of Lords appeals in London.”

Read the full obituary here