News In Focus
9 May 2008
Clancy flies the flag in Illinois
Michael Clancy, Director of Law Reform at the Law Society of Scotland addressed the Illinois St Andrew Society as part of the United States’ Scotland Week celebrations.
His visit aimed to further the relationship between the two societies and create foundations for increased networking and development of business opportunities in the US.
In his speech Mr Clancy said that Scotland could provide American businesses and individuals with a highly skilled workforce, a well established infrastructure, and respected universities and research centres with a world-class reputation for innovation, business sense and financial expertise.
He also explored the historical relationship between Scotland and the US from the documents of its founding fathers and the development of the tobacco and sugar trades in the 18th century to the present day.
He said: “I don’t need to tell you how important the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States are to the people of America, but they also resound elsewhere, especially in Scotland.
“The signatories of the Declaration of Independence included two native born Scots: John Witherspoon, a Paisley minister who left Scotland for the American colonies in 1766, becoming president of the New Jersey College which he reorganised along the lines of his alma mater the University of Glasgow, so that it became ‘a seminary for statesmen’ and eventually Princeton University. The second was James Wilson, who not only signed the Declaration but also the Constitution – a document which he assisted James Madison, fourth president of the US, in writing.”
He went on to describe the separate evolution of Scots law from English law and the legislative activity since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999, before closing with the comments: “I see my role today, not only as one which cements the relationship between the Law Society of Scotland and the St Andrew’s Society of Illinois, but one which lays the foundation of further dialogue, opening the door to discussions between clients and law firms and enabling Scottish lawyers to come to Chicago and explain why doing business in Scotland is good for you and good for your clients.”