Lord Advocate to address conference

Gathering of in-house lawyers takes place in Edinburgh today

News, 2 November 2007

The biggest gathering of in-house lawyers in Scotland takes place today at The Hub in Edinburgh.

The keynote speaker is the Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini who will address the conference on her role as legal adviser to the Scottish Government.

Janet Hood, head of the In-house Lawyers Group in Scotland, which is organising the conference, said: “I am delighted to be welcoming delegates who practise as in-house lawyers in commerce and industry, the procurator fiscal service and local government.

“It is a wide and varied group of professionals working within Scotland and very often globally. The conference will celebrate the work and status of in-house lawyers and will be an excellent networking opportunity. It also gives in-house lawyers the opportunity to meet members of the In-house Lawyers Group Committee and to give their views on hot topics affecting them.”

The legal issues surrounding Glasgow’s 2014 Commonwealth Games bid and reform of the planning system are just two of the issues to be discussed.

John McKinlay, from DLA Piper, will give a presentation on The Race for the 2014 Commonwealth Games - the Legal Issues in Scotland's Bid.

Other speakers include: Neil Collar, from Brodies (Planning Issues: Legislative Changes), Graeme Fyfe, from Pinsent Masons (The Companies Act 2006); Sheila Gunn, of Shepherd + Wedderburn (Discrimination Issues and the new Commission for Equality & Human Rights); and, Paul Gilbert, LBCWise Counsel (Surviving Change).

Richard Henderson, the Law Society's president, was an in-house lawyer at the Scottish Executive for 35 years. He will talk to delegates about the important input of this sector of the profession and its contribution to Scotland in the legal profession and beyond.