ADMISSIONS

At the November Diet of Admission, the WS Society welcomed 25 new members in all categories, Writers to the Signet, Affiliates and Students. New members came from as far afield as Campbletown and Washington DC. New Keeper of the Signet Lady Elish Angiolini LT presided at the ceremony and mingled with the new members and their guest at the drinks reception afterwards.

CELEBRATING STUDENT SUCCESS

The WS Society was pleased to once again support the excellent work of the School Mock Court Project SCIO (SC043342). On 27 November, we welcomed 150 school students, their teachers and families to the Signet Library for this year’s awards ceremony.   The Mock Court Project is a Scottish charity providing equal learning opportunities to approximately 3,000 students every year, working in all areas of Scotland.  Their core mock court programmes provide students the chance to work with legal professionals, visit Scottish Courts and compete in mock trials, presided by current members of the Judiciary.  Congratulations to the 2023 finalists Dunfermline High School and the Edinburgh Academy, and to other schools winning well deserved awards including St Kentigerns, Fernhill School and Royal Irvine Academy.  The competition is an engaging and inspiring first taste of a career in law for children and young people from all backgrounds.  We look forward to continuing this collaboration and support next year.

WS FELLOW NEWS

WS Fellow Amal Clooney was in Malawi last week as part of the joint effort between the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ], The Obama Foundation and the Gates Foundation to end child marriage within a generation.

Joined by former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama and Melinda French Gates at the Ludzi Girls secondary school in the country’s central region, the three women listened intently to the stories of some of the schoolgirls. With 42% of girls married before the age of 18 the rate of child marriage in the country is one of the highest in Southern and Eastern Africa.  Despite Malawi actually having a law to prevent these marriages, there are very few prosecutions. “Waging Justice For Women”, the CFJ’s latest initiative, is funding the Women Lawyers Association of Malawi. As part of their work these lawyers provide aid clinics and free legal advice in some of the country’s most remote places, often miles from the nearest power supply or roads. Amal Clooney participated in one of the first clinics which was attended by over 800 women, where she said “It is a privilege to be working alongside so many inspirational women in the fight to make child marriage history. Child marriage persists because there are inadequate legal protections for millions of girls across Africa”.

Describing the friendship and collaboration between herself, French Gates and Obama. Clooney told the BBC “It’s been a really lovely and very organic partnership”. At the Ludzi Girls school the three heard from Lucy, now aged 26, who avoided her father’s attempt to take her out of school aged 14, and instead became the first girl in her village to graduate from university. Today aided by her degree in education she works for an organisation providing scholarships to vulnerable Malawi girls. Lucy recounted that her father finds it difficult to have an independent daughter and Michelle Obama said “Next time you see him tell him Michelle and Barack Obama are so proud of you, and the woman you have become”, whilst Clooney added, “And tell him you have a lawyer too now”.

As well as in Malawi, the CFJ supports legal aid clinics in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and continues to grow the model to increase access to justice for women and girls across Africa.

WEST LIBRARY EXHIBTION

Encyclopedia Britannica and its editor and hero of WS Society history Macvey Napier WS are the subject of the December exhibition in the West Library, curated by Principal Researcher James Hamilton, assisted by volunteer Jo Hockey.

From June 1813 until his death in 1847 Macvey Napier WS was the editor and intellectual driving force behind the greatest encyclopaedia in the English-speaking world, ushering into print the Supplement to the 4th, 5th and 6th editions of the Encyclopaedia Britannica and the 7th edition in its entirety. During the same period, Napier was overseeing the construction of the new Signet Library (1809-1815) and transforming the library’s collections from a useful assemblage of 1,800 legal and general works into a 40,000-volume collection famous the world over. He edited the Edinburgh Review, the magazine with the world’s largest circulation, and from 1825 was Professor of Conveyancing, the chair at Edinburgh University endowed by the WS Society, where he had lectured in that subject since 1816.

This exhibition seeks to honour Napier through a display of Britannica volumes and related items from Signet Library collections.

Encyclopaedia Britannica was conceived by printer Colin McFarquson and engraver Andrew Bell in 1765. Bell approached William Smellie (editor, publisher to many Scottish Enlightenment figures, naturalist, and antiquary) to compile, edit, and write original essays for the publication. Smellie decided to group related topics together into longer essays which were arranged alphabetically, and the Encyclopaedia was published in weekly instalments between 1768 and 1771. Instant popularity ensured strong demand for a second edition.

Diderot’s revolutionary Encyclopédie had begun publication in 1751 and, he declared, “was so compendious, so broad in scope and learning, that if a catastrophe were to befall the earth and all the books but his were destroyed, there would be sufficient information in his manuscript for civilisation to survive – even prosper”.  A dedication to George III in the Britannica includes this assertion of national superiority: ‘’The French (Diderot’s) Encyclopédie has been accused, and justly accused, of having disseminated, far and wide, the seeds of Anarchy and Atheism. If the Encyclopædia Britannica shall, in any degree, counteract the tendency of that pestiferous Work, even these.Volumes will not be wholly unworthy of Your Majesty’s Patronage.’’

The Signet Library’s copy of the second edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica is distinguished by its magnificent binding. Examination of the tools used in the binding reveals that there is every likelihood that it was the work of William Scott, one of a pair of revolutionary craftspeople who between them broke the mould of Scottish bookbinding design after a century of stasis. As the Society’s James Hamilton puts it, “Scott was the Robert Adam of bookbinding”.

ANNUAL DINNER 2023

This year’s dinner was a sellout and no wonder with the new Keeper of the Signet, Lady Elish Angiolini speaking for the first occasion following her appointment. Invited guests, including the Lord Justice Clerk, Lady Dorrian, and law firms both large and small with their guests and contacts mingled together at the Champagne reception before going upstairs to the upper hall of the Signet Library for dinner. Larger firms represented included Burness Paull, Pinsent Masons, CMS, Burges Salmon, Brodies, Morton Fraser MacRoberts, while more niche players included Vialex, Manolete and Burke Legal. The Law Society of Scotland were also well represented. Deputy Keeper Mandy Laurie was host for the evening and, after dinner, introduced Lady Elish as the guest speaker. Lady Elish reflected on her appointment as Lord Clerk Register and Keeper of the Signet, before talking the audience through her early life growing up near Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow and her first encounter with the legal system when, as a seventeen-year-old volunteer, she helped a woman living in poverty with an appeal before a social security tribunal. That was the first time, Lady Elish said, she realised the power of law to transform people’s lives. It was a wonderful speech demonstrating Lady Elish’s down to earth integrity, insight, humour, and conviction about the role of law in society.

SPORTS LAW CONFERENCE

Lawyers from London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and even Milan gathered at the Signet Library for the second WS Sports Law Conference, in partnership with Lombardi Associates, and supported by industry body LawInSport on 13 October.

Expert speakers included a strong female representation from Polly Handford (Head of Legal, The FA), Carol Couse (Partner, Mills & Reeve) and Gill Treasurer (Head of Legal, British and Irish Lions).  We were also privileged to hear from Paolo Lombardi (Managing Partner, Lombardi Associates), Calum Beatie (COO, The SPFL), David Thornton (Legal Counsel, The R&A), Sean Cottrell and Gabriella Lowe (both of LawInSport).   This panel of outstanding specialists were ably chaired by Ian Laing WS (Counsel, Lombardi Associates).  Thanks to all speakers, panelists and delegates who took part. We look forward to welcoming you to next year’s event.

OCTOBER EXHIBITION

The October display at the WS Society is a selection of our collection of letters, chosen and captioned by James Hamilton. The display includes a 1745 Rebellion Commission signed by Charles Edward Stuart and letters signed by John Wesley, John Ruskin, and Robert Louis Stevenson.  

Jo Hockey (Research Librarian at the WS Society) notes, 

‘Letters are one of the most powerful forms of handwritten creations - a direct communication between two people which can make for a charged viewing experience, particularly given the significance of the authors.’  

If you would like to visit the collection, please email library@wssociety.co.uk.   

WELCOME TO PATRICIA CHENEY

We are delighted to extend a warm welcome to Patricia Cheney, who joined the WS Society’s executive team this month.  Patricia is a recent graduate of the University of St Andrews, with a MLitt in Peacebuilding and Mediation, and an accredited mediator. Before earning her postgraduate degree, she attended undergraduate studies at Flagler College, Florida, receiving two Bachelors of Arts in International Relations and Political Science, as well as a minor in religions and a concentration in anthropology. In studying these subjects, she aspired to work in the non-profit sector.  Patricia joins the team to support our services for charities and expand capacity in the legal education programme.  Please say hello to Patricia at the annual dinner, a charity trustee meeting, or an education event, soon!

NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS

The WS Society’s Council is a representative body of 21 Writers to the Signet, each serving a term of three years.  Council has an important consultative function in providing the Society’s Trustees with feedback on the Society’s activities, in pursuit of our charitable objects and providing subscriber engagement.  This month, we were delighted to welcome seven new members of Council to their first meeting following their appointment at this year’s AGM and an induction session on the Society’s priorities and business plan.  The new Council members are -

 

  • Stephen Blane WS, Urquharts, a commercial litigator with over 30 years’ experience in the Scottish Courts.

  • Iain Burke WS, Burke Legal, representing clients in the Borders for three decades, with a focus on employment law.

  • Ian Laing WS, Lombardi Associates, one of Scotland’s leading sports lawyers.

  • Dr Alisdair MacPherson WS, University of Aberdeen, senior lecturer and co-director of the Centre for Scots Law, University of Aberdeen.

  • Karen McGill WS, Karen McGill Limited, an experienced employment lawyer running an independent HR and training consultancy.

  • Thomas Murdock WS, Blue Yonder,  London based commercial tech General Counsel.

  • Rory Thomson WS, CMS Cameron McKenna, senior lawyer specialising in professional negligence.

 

The Society’s Trustees and Executive are looking forward to tapping into the collective experience of this impressive group of WS over their term on Council.

KEEPER’S INSTALLATION

 In an historic ceremony in Court 1 at Parliament House on Thursday 26 October, Lady Elish Angiolini LT was sworn in as the new Lord Clerk Register of Scotland and Keeper of the Signet, by the Lord President.

 

Lady Angiolini is the first female to hold the honorific role, which is the oldest of the great offices of state in Scotland. Lady Angiolini was appointed by His Majesty the King, on the recommendation of the First Minister. She succeeds Lord Mackay of Clashfern KT. Representing the WS Society at the installation were Deputy Keeper, Mandy Laurie WS, WS Society CEO, Robert Pirrie WS, and Deputy CEO, Anna Bennett WS.

 

At the occasion, the Deputy Keeper, Mandy Laurie WS commented,

‘Lady Elish Angiolini is an inspiring figure in the law and public life and the Society is delighted at her appointment as Lord Clerk Register and Keeper of the Signet. The Keeper admits new Writers to the Signet and Lady Angiolini is a role model who combines all the qualities we uphold in the Scottish lawyer: learned in the law, of the utmost integrity, and grounded in common sense.’

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

We are delighted to once again celebrate Christmas at the Signet Library with the Choir of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral. This year's concert will take place on Tuesday 12 December at 6.00 pm.  With much loved music from across the centuries and different parts of the world, this concert is a wonderful occasion to entertain family, friends, and colleagues in the run up to the festivities. Put the date in your diary and look out for the booking details which will be circulated soon.

LEGAL EDUCATION

The Society’s annual legal education programme closes with two further legal conferences.  The Private Client Conference, in collaboration with STEP Scotland, takes place on 5 October with a focus on trust law reform.  Speakers included the Rt Hon Lord Drummond Young and Professor Roddy Paisley.  The final event of the year is the popular Sports Law Conference, produced with our partners at Lombardi Associates.  At that event we are privileged to be joined by both the Head of Legal at the Football Association, Polly Handford, and the Head of Legal at the British & Irish Lions, Gillian Treasurer.  Booking for both events is still open here.

OPENING OF THE LEGAL YEAR

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.

SIGNET 200 EVENTS

Last year, the Society held a series of event to celebrate 200 years of the Signet Library. Videos of these events are now available:

In Conversation with Richard Demarco

With Amanda Catto, Creative Scotland

Signet Library, Edinburgh, 5 August 2022

Identity, Imagination and George IV in Edinburgh, 1822

Chapter 1: Professor Arthur Burns

Chapter 2: Dr Robert Pirrie WS (starts at 15 minutes)

Chapter 3: Q&A (starts at 53 minutes)

Chapter 4: Lord MacKay closing remarks (starts at 66 minutes)

Signet Library, Edinburgh, 1 September 2022

An Evening with The Right Hon. Lord Mackay of Clashfern, KT

Signet Library, Edinburgh 7 September 2022

In Conversation with Professor Thuli Madonsela

Introduced by The Right Hon. Lady Dorrian With Meera Selva, Internews

Mansfield Traquair, Edinburgh, 13 September 2022

WS EXHIBITION: THE ENLIGHTENMENT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

In December 1936, the Signet Library paid 3/- for a 1758 copy of the Edinburgh Almanac, bound in vellum and small enough to fit a gentleman's pocket. Its blank pages were written out as a meteorological and personal diary by an anonymous author in which people were identified only by their initials.

Extensive research by conservator Jo Hockey has revealed the author as Writer to the Signet James Carmichael of Hailes (1716-1781), the owner of the Easter Hailes estate near Colinton. Marriage to Jennet, the daughter of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik (1676-1755) would tie Carmichael into a brilliant circle that included the geologist James Hutton, the engraver John Clerk of Eldin and, beyond them, most of the great names of the Scottish Enlightenment.

Much has been made of the urban origins of the Scottish Enlightenment, but politics was dominated by the great landowners and their rural familial seats with much of the new thinking of the time orientated to the countryside. James Hutton was one of many eighteenth century figures seeking to "improve" agriculture: he also took an interest in mining practice. John Clerk of Eldin accompanied Hutton and drew for him on his epochal journey through Glen Tilt. Carmichael had the management of the estate at Easter Hailes in his aegis and was interested enough in mining to journey to the Isle of Man in 1758 to visit James Lowther's 'coall works'.

The Upper West Library exhibition for September reflects these interests in the lives and works of Carmichael, his circle and other reforming thinkers and workers of this crucial period. It includes the WS Society’s own record of James Hutton’s WS apprenticeship, examples of eighteenth century mining maps by major cartographers and engravers of the day, an album of John Clerk of Eldin’s artworks and examples from Signet Library collections of the literature of agricultural improvement.

 

WS SUMMER SCHOLARS

Over the summer, nine law students divided into groups of three participated in a two-week research and personal development placement. The scholarship is a key element of our engagement with early-stage lawyers. Participants are given a contemporary legal issue working towards a digital presentation to external delegates and a written report for publication. The students work under the supervision of experienced practicing Solicitors and the Trainee Solicitor within the Executive team.

“The WS Summer Scholars programme was a great way to meet contemporaries from an array of different backgrounds, and the surprise topic was an excellent way to challenge oneself to approach a thought-provoking topic in an innovative way. I am proud that we managed to collaborate so seamlessly to deliver a satisfying presentation with online article. And I would highly recommend applying for it to anyone considering it as a next step!”

-        Noah Norbash, Trainee Solicitor, Digby Brown

"The WS Society Summer Scholars Programme was an exceptional experience, seamlessly blending historical ambiance with contemporary legal discourse. The opportunity to delve into intricate topics and present before esteemed professionals was invaluable. It was a transformative journey that I'll cherish for years to come.”

-        Matthew Paton, The University of Aberdeen

“I‘d say my time with the signet library was a fantastic way of getting to know Scotland’s legal landscape by meeting lots of wonderful people in various legal sectors. It provided an excellent opportunity to gain exposure to unfamiliar practice areas, which as a recent graduate, proved to be incredibly valuable.”

-        Asymina Aza, Trainee, NOYB

The scholars’ articles are now all published on our website:

Legal Aid - What is the Cost of Justice?

Conceiving Change: In Vitro Fertilisation - Past, Present and Planning for Scots Law Practitioners.

The Legal Approach to National Heritage: Restitution and Repatriation of Cultural Property.

Applications for 2024 scholarships will open in March 2024. For more information, please contact Sophie Mills (smills@wssociety.co.uk).

PORTRAITS OF WOMEN IN LAW

Over the course of this week the Signet Library has provided the backdrop to a new project by the celebrated Dutch art historian and photographer, Dr Carla van de Puttelaar. 

Dr van de Puttelaar is a regular visitor to the Signet Library, having researched the early David Scougall paintings which hang in the Commissioners’ Room for her book on 17th century Scottish Portraiture in 2022.  Her new project, supported by Museums & Galleries Edinburgh, is an exhibition on Scottish portraiture in the legal profession, past and present. Featuring around 40 artworks, the show will include a small group of 17th and 18th century oil paintings of lawyers and judges in Scotland by leading portraitists of the era, including Scougall, John Baptiste de Medina, as well as Allan Ramsay and Henry Raeburn. The law was an entirely male dominated occupation at that time, and to bring the exhibition up to the present, displayed alongside these artworks will be contemporary photographs of women working in the profession in Scotland today. The exhibition will amplify the advances that have taken place over the centuries, which now enable women to fill positions in the highest echelons of the legal profession. Many Writers to the Signet have been invited to the Signet Library this week to participate. We look forward to seeing their portraits when the exhibition opens at the City Art Centre in late 2025.