Former Tarbert pupil is Solicitor of the Year
A former pupil of Tarbert Academy has been named Solicitor of the Year at the inaugural Scottish Professional Awards.
Aimee Elder, 32, is a claims solicitor and was nominated for her award by an anonymous member of the public.
She was diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) as a young adult, and wants to let other young people know that the condition does not have to hold them back.
Aimee works for UnionLine Scotland, which provides legal services to members of trade unions GMB and the Communication Workers Union. She is proud that throughout her career, she has always served injured parties.
Her position involves seeking claims for personal injuries, often for people who have had an accident at work.
Many of her clients are NHS staff or local authority workers.
It was while attending Tarbert Academy that Aimee decided she wanted to become a lawyer.
Her father, Malcom Elder, was the GP in Carradale and also covered Skipness, so Aimee went to school in Tarbert.
Speaking about her award, she said: “It was a big surprise. A lot of really good people had been nominated.”
She added: “In all the years I have been a solicitor I have only worked for injured parties. I’ve never done defence.”
Aimee said she particularly enjoys working for GMB, adding that health and safety breaches at work are more common than people might think.
And she explained: “When people have an accident, money is never going to make it better, but it can give people a bit of closure.”
Some of her more high-profile recent cases have included seeking damages for a small boy who was injured when a lamp post fell on top of him, and a mother and daughter who encountered a bed bug infestation at an Edinburgh hotel.
Her career path saw her complete an undergraduate course at Dundee University, before gaining a diploma in professional legal practice from Glasgow University.
She started with Digby Brown solicitors, before going on to work for Gildeas, Watermans and finally UnionLine.
Her next goal is to work towards becoming accredited by the Law Society to become a personal injury specialist.
She added: “Sometimes I think it’s nice to mention I have ADHD. I like to share that with people, to give encouragement to anyone else who might be in high school and struggling.
“I ended up getting diagnosed after university. Had I known, I could have had a bit more access to support.
“While I don’t have a big platform, I do think it’s something that needs to be talked about.
“Certainly, it is good for younger people to see that being neurodivergent doesn’t have to hold you back.”
Aimee praised her employers at UnionLine for being very supportive and accommodating of her condition.
She said: “They just got me earphones for the office so that I can get on with my work without distractions.
“Some parts of the job are more difficult for people with ADHD, for example being in court can be really difficult because you have to be constantly focused.”
However, she explained: “People with ADHD can be more creative, which is helpful when you need to think outside the box.”
The first ever Scottish Professional Awards took place at the Doubletree Hilton in Glasgow on Friday April 12.
They were created to shine a spotlight on the professional and businesses services sector, which covers a range of diverse knowledge-intensive industries.