This week Writers to the Signet participated in the traditional services to mark the opening of the legal year.  The Lord President introduced the new year with a ceremony in Court 1 at Parliament House on Monday 25 September, followed by a service in St Giles’ Cathedral. The ceremony included speeches from the Lord President, then Ronnie Renucci, Vice Dean of Faculty and Sheila Webster WS, President of the Law Society of Scotland.  Lord Carloway welcomed fifteen members of the Faculty of Advocates to the rank and dignity of King’s Counsel.  On the previous day, Writers to the Signet took part in the Red Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, with colleagues from all branches of the profession, as well as a delegation of lawyers and judges from the USA.  Pictured here, left to right, are Ian Laing WS, Kenneth Law WS, the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, the Most Reverend Leo Cushley JCD, Jamie Kerr WS and Grace McGill WS.