Lord advocate to speak in Aberdeen

The event, which is being organised by the award-winning Aberdeen Law Project, is expected to attract a capacity audience when it is held on Friday 27 February, at the King’s College Auditorium, University of Aberdeen.

Mr Mulholland will be the fourth headline speaker to address the Aberdeen Law Project in recent years.

Since its formation by then student Ryan Whelan in 2009 the project has welcomed a host of distinguished legal names to the University, including retired deputy president of the Supreme Court Lord Hope, judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland Lady Dorrian and advocate Gary Allan QC.

Caitlin Hurst, the student director of The Aberdeen Law Project, said: “‘We are thrilled to welcome friend and supporter of the project Frank Mulholland QC back to Aberdeen.

“As the lord advocate Mr Mulholland is uniquely positioned to comment on the access to justice Issues that are currently affecting the people of Scotland.

“The interest that we have already received from lawyers, students and members of the public wishing to attend has been considerable. We look forward to welcoming as many as we can accommodate on the day.”

Mr Mulholland’s career began in 1984 where he worked as a procurator fiscal depute in Greenock. He then went on to the Crown Office as a solicitor in the High Court Unit.

In 1997, Mr Mulholland became the first advocate depute to be appointed from the procurator fiscal service. He was appointed the solicitor general for Scotland in 2007 and was selected by the first minister to act as lord advocate in 2011.

Commenting on his forthcoming visit to Aberdeen, Mr Mulholland said: “It was while studying at the University of Aberdeen that I became convinced of the importance of everyone having equal access to the Justice system.

“During my time as lord advocate, I have strived to ensure that through our specialist approach to prosecuting crime that victims are reassured they will be dealt with in a professional, caring and sensitive manner.

“We have seen an increase in the number of victims of sexual offences coming forward in recent years. We have also appealed to those who have suffered hate crimes based on religion, prejudice and disability to report offences so that we can prosecute them and send a strong signal that they will not be tolerated in a modern Scotland.

“And I have been particularly proud of the work of our cold case unit. In the last year it has delivered justice for the families of Helen Scott and Christine Eadie who were murdered after a night out in Edinburgh, brought the killer of Greenock teenager Elaine Doyle to justice and helped bring resolution to the disappearance of schoolgirl Moira Anderson who disappeared more than fifty years ago.

“This work has shown that in Scotland Justice has no sell by date.”

This lecture is open to the public and anyone wishing to attend should contactKaty Hood by emailing events@abdnlawproject.com.

For further information on the project please contact Caitlin Hurst, student director, at general@abdnlawproject.com, or visit our websitewww.abdnlawproject.com