News In Focus

English Law Society excellence award for Scots solicitor advocate

22 October 2012

Scottish solicitor advocate Craig Connal QC has won the "Solicitor Advocate of the Year Award" at the 2012 Excellence Awards organised by the Law Society of England & Wales.

Mr Connal, a Scottish-based partner at international firm Pinsent Masons, which earlier this year merged with McGrigors, took the title ahead of competition from solicitor advocates in prominent London and English regional firms.

The Excellence Awards, which have categories both for firms and individuals, are designed to recognise best practice and to celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement. They highlight innovative business practices, successful approaches to practice management, and contributions through social responsibility and equality and diversity initiatives, in addition to outstanding individual achievement.

The first solicitor-advocate in Scotland to be appointed to the rank of Queen's Counsel, Mr Connal has appeared in high profile and complex litigation in a wide variety of courts, inquiries and tribunals, and in the last 12 months, along with colleague Jim Cormack, became the first solicitor advocates to present a civil appeal at the UK Supreme Court.

Mr Connal said he was "delighted to have gained such recognition".