Granite City makes debut
Liz Campbell looks at a year of firsts as the Law Society welcomes its newest solicitors
Iconsider myself extremely fortunate to have a career that I love in an organisation that I care about. Every role has its challenges, administrative tasks, the occasional tricky customer and those cherished moments when out of the blue, it is crystal clear why we do what we do and that is certainly true of my role.
Working in education, it follows that for me, those occasions usually come about when I put my out of office on, leave my desk, get out there and meet our students and trainees.
They, for me, are what it’s all about, each with their own unique outlook and experience but all with aspirations of a career in law.
For me the admission ceremonies are the perfect illustration of how education brings people together in pursuit of a shared goal while simultaneously celebrating their differences.
As long years of hard work, study and practical training finally pay dividends, the new solicitors come together with peers, family and friends to mark an important milestone and celebrate their successes. It really is a very special honour to be part of that moment.
Like the new solicitors, no two ceremonies are the same, but this one, I am delighted to say is a real first.
Inspired by our Aberdeenshirebased president, and in keeping with our desire to engage with the profession across Scotland, today’s ceremony takes place in the splendid setting of the library of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen.
With just 15 new solicitors being admitted, I am looking forward to hearing about all of their journeys to qualification, a perk afforded by the smaller gathering.
Holding the ceremony in Aberdeen is not the only first for us this year and charting new ground is becoming something of a trend.
The Lawscot Foundation is a charity we established last year to support students from less advantaged backgrounds through their legal educations.
Earlier this year, in what I can only imagine was an incredibly tough decision, the first worthy bursary recipients were selected.
0 The library at the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen
This is an exciting milestone for us as we have long believed that financial circumstances should not be a barrier to realising ambition, if the talent and will to succeed exists.
These students will be starting their LLB studies this month and we are looking forward to seeing them at a future admission ceremony.
Chalking up another first, last year we launched a student associate category open to LLB degree and students.
Members have access to career advice and CV boosting tips; discounted continuing personal development events and opportunities to become involved with initiatives such as the Society’s award-winning Street Law programme.
The response from students has exceeded expectations in the first year and we are now anticipating additional members from this year’s intake of first-year students.
Students who join will benefit from the opportunity to start building their networks and experience to boost their future careers.
Following last year’s successful trainee roadshows we are running a further series in October for first-year trainees.
We know that starting a traineeship can be a daunting step, dealing with Law Society requirements and making the adjustment to a new workplace.
The roadshows will provide the opportunity for the trainees to hear from recently qualified and more experienced solicitors and to ask questions about the regulatory processes and traineeships.
And in another first for us, in April we launched a pilot of a student: trainee mentoring scheme which will run for a year.
Places for both trainee mentors and student mentees were quickly snapped up, justifying our belief that there was demand for such a project.
I am confident there will be many more firsts to come, but for now I’m going to wish that Scotland’s newest solicitors take as much pleasure in their careers as I do in mine and enjoy our first Aberdeen Admission Ceremony. That is definitely a first worth celebrating. n