Executive Committee 


Catriona Headley, President

Catriona was re-elected as President of the SYLA in June 2011 after her original election to the position in August 2010.  She had previously held the positions of Secretary and non-exective committee member.  She qualified as a solicitor in August 2009 and currently practices civil litigation at Digby Brown LLP after training at Drummond Miller LLP. 
 
After obtaining an LLB honours at the University of Glasgow, she completed the Diploma in Legal Practice at The Glasgow Graduate School of Law.  Whilst at University, she was co-President of the University of Glasgow Law Society and Assistant Honorary Secretary of the Glasgow University Union.

 
Fiona McAllister, Vice President

Fiona was elected as Vice President of the SYLA in August 2011 after spending the previous year as Secretary.  Fiona graduated with an LLB honours from the University of Glasgow and, following some time out for travelling, continued her legal education by completing her Diploma in Legal Practice at the Glasgow Graduate School of Law. During her degree she spent a year studying at the University of Stockholm focusing on various aspects of international law. Fiona is currently a Solicitor in the Dispute Resolution department at Burness LLP. She has been a committee member since May 2009.


Roseanne Ogden, Treasurer
Rosanne obtained a BA before completing the accelerated LLB at Robert Gordons University and the Diploma at Aberdeen Uni.  She trained at Raeburn Christie Clark & Wallace in Aberdeen before moving to Edinburgh. 

Rosanne now works for Brodies LLP in Agricultural and Rural property.


Sola Paterson-Marke, Secretary

Söla was elected as Secretary of the SYLA in 2011.  He has extensive committee experience, having been elected onto his university's Law Society during his studies and having been a committee member of the Big Lottery Fund’s Young People’s Fund.
After finishing his Law degree, he stayed on at the University of Edinburgh to complete the Diploma in Legal Practice, before spending a year working for the managing consultancy firm Accenture in London.
 
Söla is currently a trainee solicitor with DLA Piper and has so far undertaken seats in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London.  He is due to qualify as a solicitor in September 2012


Non-Executive Committee
 


Laura Bloxham
Laura gained her degree and Diploma in Legal Practice at the University of Aberdeen before moving to Edinburgh to undertake her Traineeship with Archibald Campbell & Harley. 

Laura qualified in September 2009 and currently works in the Social Housing Team of AC&H and also assists in a broad range of property transactions.

Laura is especially keen to represent the interests of Trainees and Newly-Qualified solicitors in these testing times for the profession


 Emma Boffey
Emma is a recent graduate of the University of Strathclyde Law School, awarded LL.B Law (First Class Honours) in 2010.  She is currently completing the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (PEAT 1) at the University of Strathclyde and will join Dundas & Wilson CS LLP as a trainee solicitor in September 2012.  After graduating, Emma spent a year working as Legal Assistant to the Scottish Law Commission, working mainly in the fields of commercial and private law.


Karen Wylie

 Karen graduated from Glasgow University with an LLB(Hons) in 2002. She then went on to do her Diploma in Legal Practice at the Graduate Glasgow School of Law. Karen now specialises in all aspects of Family Law at Morton Fraser LLP.

Karen joined the SYLA as a committee member in 2005 and, in her time with SYLA, has held the positions of Secretary and Joint Vice President. Karen is particularly interested in training and networking for new solicitors involved in civil and family law



Stephen Allison

Stephen was elected as a committee member in August 2010. He is currently a trainee solicitor with Digby Brown LLP.

After obtaining an LLB degree (First Class Honours) from the University of Edinburgh, he also completed the Diploma in Legal Practice at the same university. Whilst at University, he served for one year as Secretary of the Law Student's Council and he served for 3 years as a representative on the Schools Representative Council of the Edinburgh University Students' Association. He was also co-opted onto the University's Computer Strategy Committee and Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee.

Robert Booth

Robert obtained his Law Degree and Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Dundee before moving to Glasgow where he began a traineeship with Glasgow City Council.

Robert joined the SYLA committee in May 2011 and while at University was heavily involved in the Dundee University Law School Society.

Robert is especially keen to use his position on the SYLA committee to among other things represent the views and interests of the in-house legal profession and especially in-house trainees.


Fiona Gibson

Fiona joined the SYLA as a non-executive Committee Member in June 2011.  She graduated from the University of Strathclyde with Honours in 2007 and went on to Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen to complete her Diploma in Legal Practice.  Fiona joined R. & J. M. Hill Brown & Co. in 2008 as a Trainee Solicitor within the Private Client department and, upon qualification in 2010, accepted a position as a qualified Solicitor with the firm.  She has also assisted with the preparation of Private Client course materials for the Glasgow Graduate School of Law's Diploma in Legal Practice. 


Audrey Young

Audrey joined the SYLA committee in June 2011. Audrey graduated with an LLB honours from the University of Strathclyde and completed her Diploma in Legal Practice at the Glasgow Graduate School of Law. She joined R & J M Hill Brown & Co. Solicitors in August 2007 as a Trainee. Following completion of her traineeship in August 2009 Audrey accepted a position as a qualified Solicitor in their Licensing Department and has gained considerable experience working closely with clients operating in both the 'on' and 'off' trade sectors. Audrey is also a contributor to Scottish Licensing Law & Practice.

 


Kenneth Norrie, Honorary President

Professor Kenneth Norrie LLB, PhD, FRSE succeeded Alastair Bonnington to become our Honorary President in 2008.

Professor Norrie was the Head of Strathclyde Law School between 2001 and 2007. Prior to that appointment he was a Lecturer in Law at Strathclyde University, Aberdeen University and Dundee University.

Whilst originally a medical lawyer, Professor Norrie's main research interests developed some years ago into mainstream family law, in particular child law and child protection law, and his interests have recently further developed into the fields of law and sexual orientation and same-sex families. Most former students will remember him fondly as their family law lecturer. Indeed, the must read course text was his "Parent and Child" book, not to mention his legendary "marriage" lecture. 

He has also written widely on a variety of topics within the law of delict, in particular defamation. He has held visiting lectureships and professorships at the Universities of Regensburg, Vienna, Sydney, Wellington and Cape Town. He has taught classes at the Universities of Glasgow and Baltimore, Maryland. 

The Scottish Young Lawyers Association are delighted that such a well liked and respected academic holds our post of Honorary President.