Festival of Legal Possibilities
Location:
School of Law
Old College, South Bridge
Edinburgh
EH8 9YL
Date/time
-
Edinburgh Law School's Festival of Legal Possibilities is sponsored by Diversity+
The Festival of Legal Possibilities will showcase career paths and opportunities available for students. We know that large scale commercial firms are frequently on campus to provide information in respect of the career options that they provide. But what else is available? What about those who do not feel represented in mainstream commercial firm recruitment?
The Festival of Legal Possibilities will have panels over 3 days and will both:
- boost networks for students who may not feel represented within legal practice and recruitment; and
- demonstrate to students the wide variety of career paths ahead of them, in addition to the general large scale recruitment undertaken by large commercial firms touting for traineeships.
Introduction: Diverse Careers, Intersectionality, and Under-representation
Time/Location: 09:15 - 10:00, Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre
The introductory session will introduce aspects of diversity within wider legal careers. In particular, it will introduce the concepts of intersectionality in diversity, and wider themes of under representation.
Chair: Lindsay Jack, Edinburgh Law School
Panel: Naeema Sajid, Diversity+; Rob Marrs, Law Society of Scotland and Dr Amy Lawton, Director of Equality & Diversity
Diverse Careers – Women in Law
Time/Location: 10:00 - 11:30, Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre
This session will explore challenges and opportunities faced by women in law and their allies in legal practice.
Chair: Jacquelyn MacLennan, White & Case
Panel: Rupa Mooker, MacRoberts, Yvonne Brady, Morton Fraser and Laura Buchan, Procurator Fiscal
Diverse Careers – Ethnicity and Culture
Time/Location: 11:45 - 13:15, Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre
This session will explore challenges and opportunities faced in respect of ethnicity and culture in legal practice.
Chair: Naeema Sajid, Diversity+
Panel: Aamer Anwar, Anwar & Co, Daniel Zakrzewski, Addleshaw Goddard and Brianella Scott, Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry
Diverse Careers – LGBTQ+
Time/Location: 14:00 - 15:30, Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre
This session will explore challenges and opportunities faced in respect of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies in legal practice.
Chair: Amanda Millar, former President of the Law Society of Scotland
Panel: Jamie Dunne, Brodies; Kay Foulkes, Legal Services Agency and Olivia Greener, Shepherd & Wedderburn
Judicial, Mediation and Tribunal Careers
Time/Location: 09:30 - 11:00, Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre
This session will explore career paths into the judiciary, tribunals and mediation.
Chair: Lord Carloway, Lord President
Panel: Muriel Robison, Employment Judge; John Sturrock KC, Core Solutions; Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar, Sheriff Principal of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway; Lord Pentland, Senator of the Court of Justice
Becoming an Advocate
Time/Location: 11:15 - 12:45, Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre
This session will explore careers paths into the bar.
Chair: Laura Dunlop KC, Advocate and Chair of the Mental Health Tribunal
Panel: Elisabeth Roxburgh, Advocate; Barney Ross, Advocate & Clerk to the Faculty of Advocates; Usman Tariq, Advocate and Mary Ellen Stewart, Advocate
LawPALs Presents
Time/Location: 09:30 - 11:00, MacLaren Stuart Room
This session will explore career paths that previous LawPALs participants have taken.
Chair: Susanna Macdonald-Mulvihill, University of Edinburgh
Panel: Elspeth Nuttall and Lewis Devoy
In House Lawyers
Time/Location: 11.15-12.45, Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre
Chair: Jamila Archibald, Trip.com
Panel: Sheekha Saha, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) & Law Society of Scotland; Chris Smith, Baillie Gifford and Jennifer McWhirter, Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Public & Third Sector
Time/Location: 14:00 - 15:30, Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre
This session will explore career paths available in government and third sector organisations.
Panel: Amicus; Frances Finlay, Fife Law Centre; Humera Logan, Legal Services Agency; Lynne Barrie, Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service; Alison York, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Ezgi Denli, Assistant Solicitor, Scottish Parliament
About the Sponsor
Diversity+ sponsor this event. They are a leading Scottish Consultancy, specialising in increasing diversity and inclusion in the legal sector. Their vision is to build a legal e sector which better reflects Scotland's population, multicultural society and diverse talent.
Founder, Naeema Sajid, pictured, understands from personal experience the barriers faced by underrepresented groups in the legal sector. Naeema is a Lawyer with over 20 years' experience, and knows just how challenging it can be for people from minority backgrounds to feel comfortable, fulfilled, and reach their full potential in the sector. Her goal with Diversity+ is to address those barriers and make lasting change.
Diversity+ has worked with some of Scotland's top law firms and organisations, helping them in their journeys to becoming more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
Event Link
Register for each session via Eventbrite