David Ford WS

David is an Associate and Solicitor Advocate at Brodies who specialises in real estate litigation. He acts for clients across a broad range of property related disputes, with a focus on disputes between commercial landlords and tenants. In particular, he regularly advises on dilapidations and service charge disputes as well as dealing with disputes over the interpretation of contracts and the repossession of properties. As a solicitor advocate, David is also regularly instructed in contentious construction actions and in professional negligence claims.

Having been part of the inaugural WS Society Summer Law Scholarship programme in 2014, David was delighted to be admitted as a WS in 2022. On joining Council, David looks forward to contributing to the development and success of the Society, and in encouraging the next generation of lawyers to become involved in the Society.  

Rob Wilson WS

Rob is a Solicitor and a Partner at international law firm CMS. He was educated in Scotland and trained in Edinburgh with Shepherd & Wedderburn (1991/1993). He later worked with Murray Beith Murray WS, Anderson Strathern WS and McGrigor Donald before joining Cameron McKenna (predecessor firm to CMS) in Aberdeen in 1998. He helped establish CMS’ office in Edinburgh in 2001 and was managing Partner of that office until 2014. For the last 25 years, Rob has specialised in dispute avoidance/resolution in the energy and construction sectors since 1998. He is dual qualified (Scotland and England & Wales) holding higher rights of audience as a Solicitor Advocate in England Wales.

Rob is proud to be a Writer to His Majesty’s Signet. He was admitted as a WS more than 20 years ago and was delighted to be invited to join the Council earlier this year. He very much hopes that he will be able to contribute to the development of the Society during his time as a member of Council.

Rob is otherwise a Member of the Royal Company of Merchants in Edinburgh where he sits on the charities committee; since 2008, Rob has been a Director and Company Secretary of Strathardle Highland Gathering; in 2022, Rob was appointed a Governor, Director and Trustee of Cargilfield School. He is also a Liveryman of the City of London Solicitor’s Company and a member of the Royal Company of Archers (King’s Bodyguard for Scotland).

Helen Kidd WS

Helen is a Partner and heads up Lindsays’ Charities and Third Sector team in Edinburgh.  

Helen’s experience includes setting up, merging, winding up charities; advising on governance, charity tax, and trading activities; advising grant giving charities; trustee training and dealing with a wide range of regulatory matters.  In addition to fundraising, donations, trusts and endowments, using her private client experience, Helen advises on lifetime philanthropy and legacies/bequests. 

Helen is honoured to join the WS Council this year and looks forward to supporting the Society as it promotes a vast array of legal education opportunities and develops its activities based on its values of integrity, sustainability and inclusion.

Matt Leckie WS

Matt is a personal injury solicitor at Digby Brown LLP.  He specialise in pursuing claims for damages on behalf of people injured in accidents at work, on the road or in public places, as well as on behalf of the families of those killed in accidents.  He has appeared regularly in Sheriff Courts across Scotland.  In 2023 and 2024 he chaired the WS Society’s Personal Injury Conference. 

Ross is looking forward to joining the Society’s Council and contributing to upholding the traditions and standards for which the Society is well known.

Chris Nicholson WS

Chris is Solicitor – Head of Constitutional Reform and External Affairs, Scottish Government Legal Directorate. A government lawyer by trade, Chris joined the (then) Scottish Executive as a trainee solicitor in 2005. Since then he has in worked in a combination of legal and non-legal roles for both the Scottish and UK Governments, in all three branches of Government as well as the prosecution service. He is an experienced civil litigator, statutory drafter, with particular expertise in advisory and governance work.

He is also a part-time Tribunal Chair having taken on the role of Chair of the National Appeals Panel for Entry to the Pharmaceutical Lists (NAP) in 2024. He co-edits the Scottish Government’s “Right First Time – a practical guide for public authorities in Scotland to decision-making and the law”.  He is a Trustee and Board Member at the Clark Foundation for legal education having been with them since 2013 and is a volunteer Crew Member with Wet Wheels at Port Edgar.

Chris hopes to contribute to the Society’s push for further diversity in its membership and inclusivity in the profession.

Ross Simpson WS

Ross is a Partner in Burges Salmon’s Real Estate department specialising in strategic land and rural property. Ross is dual qualified to practise in England and Wales, and Scotland. As well as undertaking complex strategic land work associated with major projects regularly acting for consortia of landowners, and a wide-ranging rural practice spanning the purchase and sale of estates, farms and forestry, Ross’s expertise also extends to advising on the real estate aspects of natural capital and ecosystem services projects involving the creation and sale of environmental credits from woodland planting, habitat creation, peatland restoration and catchment management schemes.

Ross is excited to be appointed to the WS Council. He looks forward to helping shape and evolve how the WS Society continues to play its historic role in promoting excellence in the legal profession and support the WS Society in its delivery on its longstanding commitments to equality, diversity, and sustainability.