Law Society Council election sees record turnout

A record number of solicitors across Scotland, England and Wales voted in this year’s election to the Law Society of Scotland’s principal decision-making body, the Council.

Seventeen solicitors put themselves forward as Council candidates and turnout was recorded at 27 per cent across the five contested constituencies when voting closed at 12 noon yesterday.

The average turnout in recent years has been 17 per cent.

Lorna Jack, chief executive of the Law Society, said: “It’s great to see more of our members making their voices heard this year, whether that’s by voting for their preferred candidate or putting themselves forward to help their professional body lead and support a successful respected Scottish legal profession.

“I would like to congratulate our newly elected Council members. This is an exciting time for the Law Society and I look forward to working with them over the coming years.

“I offer my commiserations to those not elected this time round and want to pay a particular tribute to Janet Hood, who has served on Council for the last 17 years and has made an enormous contribution to the work of the Society. I hope Janet and the other candidates will continue to stay involved with their professional body, particularly through the important work of our various committees.”

The ten successful candidates and their constituencies are:

George MacWilliam, MacArthur & Co, Inverness

Sheekha Saha, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar Council, Stornoway

Iain Burke, Bannerman Burke, Selkirk

Patricia Thom, Patricia Thom & Co, Galashiels

Philip Lafferty, Clyde Defence Lawyers Ltd, Clydebank

Campbell Read, Stewart Balfour & Sutherland, Campbeltown

Murray Etherington, Thorntons Law, Dundee

Ken Dalling, Dalling Solicitors, Stirling

John Mulholland, Marshall Wilson Law Group Limited, Falkirk

Naomi Pryde, Matthew Arnold & Baldwin, London

The six new and four returning Council members will meet for the first time on Friday 29 May and continue to meet until the next election in three years’ time.