The achievement will give them the chance to spend a week working at one of the firm’s international offices, which this year include Boston, Doha and Sydney.

Out of 50 lawyers to successfully secure spaces on the 2024 programme – open to associates in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific – four are based in Scotland.

• Kirstie Carrick has a placement in the Middle East, where Clyde & Co is the largest international law firm operating in the region. She will be visiting the firm’s Doha office in Qatar where she’ll be working alongside the employment team.
• Two lawyers will be travelling down under where the firm celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2022. Kelly Brotherhood will be joining the fraud team in Melbourne, and Bronagh Finlay will be spending a week with the firm’s disease team in Sydney.
• And Ross Fairweather will be working alongside the insurance team in Boston, USA – one of three new offices to be opened by Clyde & Co in 2023.

Ms Carrick said: “The GAP offers a unique experience for me to share knowledge, experience and strategies with employment solicitors in a different jurisdiction which is fantastic for my professional development. As my placement will be in the Middle East, we can explore business development opportunities in the hope of cross-referring more work and sharing clients between our respective offices. I am also very excited to visit a country which I have never been to before.”

Ms Brotherhood said: “This is an invaluable experience not just for my own development but also for our clients in Scotland and more widely, across the UK. Fraud is always at the forefront of the insurance and business world, but particularly so at the moment, due to the cost of living crisis. Scotland is on the cusp of significant changes in the fraud sphere, and working alongside my colleagues in either Australia or USA, learning how they defend fraud claims, will be key to my growth, and that of Scotland’s fraud team. I am also thrilled that I’ll be spending a week away from the dreich Scottish weather!”

Ms Finlay said: “We often handle claims involving individuals who have emigrated to Australia, New Zealand, and USA, or worked in different maritime zones where matters of international law can come into play. This opportunity will allow me to connect with colleagues in Australia carrying out similar work in the occupational disease field and understand how they tackle similar issues in a different jurisdiction.”

Mr Fairweather said: “Our new Boston office specialises on insurance coverage and civil litigation, with a particular focus on product liability, toxic torts and exposures, and construction matters. The office is home to some of the most experienced litigators in the US, so I am keen to learn from my colleagues from across the pond about how they conduct high valued and complex litigation, with a view to sharing this knowledge with our teams in Scotland.”

Vikki Melville, managing partner for Clyde & Co in Scotland, said: “As a global firm, the strength of our network is a key driver of our success, so I am absolutely delighted that no fewer than four Scottish associates have been successful with their applications for the exchange programme this year. As well as providing Bronagh, Kelly, Kirstie and Ross with an opportunity to forge immediate and lasting relationships with international colleagues, they’ll be able to further develop connections with contacts and clients abroad as well as gaining insight into the cultural differences across the firm.”

The four Scottish lawyers to secure spaces on the exchange programme this year are following in the footsteps of Edinburgh-based senior associate, Chris Dunn, who spent a week working at Clyde & Co’s Cape Town office in 2023.