Faculty

The deadline for donations to the Faculty Christmas Collection, which supports vulnerable families in Fife, is fast approaching. Now in its eighth year, the Faculty Christmas Collection raises funds to support vulnerable families in Fife facilitated through Home-Start, a charity that helps families

Mr and Mrs Claus have instructed teams of high-powered North Pole advocates to represent them in their upcoming divorce action at the Court of Session, and everyone is invited to come along in December and watch the drama unfold. Key players in the proceedings include Dean of Faculty Roddy Dunlop KC

Gor­don Jack­son KC has been given a five-month ban from practice for naming complainers in the Alex Salmond trial while he was on a train. Mr Jackson has, however, been given permission to appeal the decision of a Faculty of Advocates committee.

Pictured (L-R): John Forsyth from Shared Parenting Scotland, Neil Mackenzie KC, Toby Brown from the Pro Bono Week Committee, Julia Lisowska from Western Isles Citizen Advice Bureau and Silence Chihuri from Fair Justice System for Scotland. The Faculty of Advocates’ Free Legal Services Unit (FL

Christmas is coming, and with it winter – which will be even harder than usual for vulnerable families given the current cost-of-living crisis gripping the country. As in previous years, the Faculty of Advocates is stepping up to make a difference through the annual Faculty Christmas Collectio

Barney Ross has been elected Clerk of Faculty following a six-way contest. Mr Ross succeeds Richard Pugh KC, who has stepped down after three-and-a-half years in office.

A group of around 200 schoolchildren and teachers gathered at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on the weekend to take part in the Edinburgh Schools MiniTrials. The event was organised by a steering group under Lord Mulholland’s chairmanship and supported by a sponsorship from the Faculty of Advocates.

A Court of Session judgment has reaffirmed the principle of legal privilege between solicitors and their clients. A hearing at the Inner House of the Court of Session determined that the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) is not entitled to recover legally privileged information in a solici

Dean of Faculty, Roddy Dunlop KC, has retracted a “tin-eared” threat to move to England where he would pay less tax. The top rate of English income tax was cut to 40 per cent last week. In Scotland, the top rate is 46 per cent. It applies to those who earn more than £150,000 a year

Ruth Crawford QC writes on the measures the Faculty of Advocates has taken to protect lawyers' wellbeing beyond the pandemic. The past few years have been characterised by constant, ongoing change for everyone due to the pandemic. Life at the Faculty of Advocates has been no exception. With the stri

The Faculty of Advocates Criminal Bar Association (FACBA) has donated to several charities that support people struggling with homelessness, vulnerable youth and those battling cancer. FACBA member Kenneth Cloggie said: “The Scottish bar is keenly aware of the struggles being faced b

Clerk of Faculty, Richard Pugh, details how the Faculty of Advocates encourages those aspiring to a career at the bar. The Faculty of Advocates recently admitted 28 new members, the second-largest ever annual intake. This follows another large intake in 2020, when 24 new advocates were admitted.

Advocates Frank Burr and Roddy MacLeod are appearing in Flesh, a musical penned by Derek Batchelor QC, during this year's Fringe.

The Faculty of Advocates has joined other legal bodies in criticising the UK government's Bill of Rights. The government said that this has taken heed of the responses from various stakeholders, including those in Scotland. The Faculty said it regrets that there was little evidence of this.

Twenty-eight new members have been admitted to the Faculty of Advocates during calling ceremonies held this week. The ceremonies were split over two days to accommodate the number of intrants – the second largest group to date.