Executive Committee

Jessica Weir - President
Jessica joined the SYLA Committee in May 2016 as a non-executive Committee Member and was elected as President in May 2018. She also held the post of the Secretary of the Committee and was elected Vice-President in December 2017.
Jessica graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an LL.B (Hons) and Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. Following this, Jessica completed her traineeship with Gillespie Macandrew and qualified as a solicitor in 2016. Jessica is now a Senior Solicitor in the banking and finance team at Brodies LLP.
Jessica has a particular interest in fundraising and delivering SYLA's CPD programme.


Ayla Iridag -  Vice President 
Ayla graduated from the University of Dundee in 2014 with an LLB (Hons) and Dip PLP. She began her traineeship with Simpson and Marwick in their Dundee office. Ayla has recently moved to Edinburgh where she is a specialist insurance litigation solicitor with Clyde & Co.
At university Ayla was the Student Director of the Dundee Student Law Clinic and now continues  her charity activities as a member of the Lawscot Foundation Fundraising Committee and as a  judge with the Donald Dewar Debating Competition.
Ayla has a particular interest in legal education and organises many of our events in Tayside, Perth  and Angus.
Dominique McErlane - Treasurer
Dominique was elected as treasurer in May 2016, having served on the committee since 2014. 
Dominique studied law at the University of Edinburgh before undertaking the diploma at Strathclyde University. She is currently a solicitor at Brodies LLP in Glasgow. 
Dominique is particularly interested in providing education and networking opportunities for young lawyers.
Graham Gibson - Secretary
Graham qualified as a solicitor in Scotland at the beginning of 2016 after obtaining his first degree in Business Law (BA Hons) and second degree in Law (LLB) and has gone on to experience multiple fields of Scots Law. Having this experience has led Graham to focus on specialising in the Technology, Media and Telecoms ("TMT") as well as financial regulatory fields.
Now working in a regulatory role with the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, Graham has focused recently on the exciting fields of data protection, privacy and cyber security law within TMT and is eager to continue to expand his knowledge and experience of these fields through the delivery of CPD events with SYLA.
 

Non-Executive Committee

Lucy Thornton - Past President
Lucy sits on the committee as Past President having been elected as President at the end of 2017 and after having served on the committee since 2014. Lucy is a solicitor and Notary Public in the commercial litigation team of Anderson Strathern and graduated from Edinburgh University with an LL.B (Hons) in 2011. She spent the summer working as a Legal Intern at a law firm in Los Angeles before returning to Edinburgh to complete her Diploma in Legal Practice. During her diploma year, Lucy was elected as Fundraising Director and an executive board member of the Edinburgh University Free Legal Advice Centre. 
Lucy has a particular interest in fundraising and representation issues. You can follow Lucy on Twitter at @LucyT_AS.


Committee Members

Ilaria Moretti
Ilaria is a Trainee Solicitor at Anderson Strathern. Ilaria graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2015 before going on to study the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Glasgow.  She is particularly interested in providing training and networking opportunities for SYLA members.
You can follow Ilaria on Twitter at @IlariaMoretti1


Laila Kennedy
Laila is a 4th year student currently reading Law LL.B (Hons) at the University of Aberdeen. Laila joined the Scottish Young Lawyers Association (SYLA) in September 2015, and is delighted to have been re-elected onto the Committee for a second year. Laila is particularly determined to widen SYLA's membership to students and particularly in Aberdeen. She co-manages the Associations’ Twitter account, and enjoys making a personal contribution to SYLA by creating more educational, training and networking opportunities, which assist in furthering the legal profession in Scotland.

Laila is on the path to becoming a young lawyer as she is currently seeking a traineeship. She also holds the position of Company Treasurer at the Aberdeen Law Project.
You can follow Laila on Twitter @LailaKennedy15.


Megan Lukins
In September 2017 Megan came to Edinburgh to begin her traineeship with MacRoberts LLP  after graduating with a First class LLB (Hons) from the University of Aberdeen in 2016 where she went on to complete her Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. She was head of events at the Aberdeen Law Project and responsible for organising a busy social and educational calendar arranging guest speakers such as the Lord Advocate and experts from as far afield as South Africa. She was also instrumental in organising various social events for her DPLP year group including the DPLP ball. As a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine from 2008 to 2012,  Megan's interest in representing the views of young adults grew. She was delighted to be elected as a non-executive committee  member of SYLA in May 2018 so she can be a voice for Scottish young lawyers from all sectors of the profession and promote their well-being.


Jamie Russell
Jamie is a Trainee Solicitor at DWF LLP in Glasgow. He graduated from the University of Glasgow with an LLB (Hons) in 2015 and Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in 2016. Jamie spent the third year of his undergraduate degree studying in Sydney, Australia. Following completion of the Diploma, Jamie spent 12 months working as a paralegal at Kingsley Napley in London, before starting his training contract in September 2017. Jamie joined the SYLA Committee in May 2018 and has particular interest in fundraising and organising networking and CPD opportunities.

 

Lucy Deakin
Lucy joined the non-executive committee in May 2018. Lucy graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2015 and remained there to complete her Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in 2016.  Lucy is currently a second year trainee at Brodies LLP, qualifying into the Corporate team in July 2018.
Lucy is interested in providing education and networking opportunities for junior lawyers.  


Claire Paterson
Claire is a Trainee Solicitor at Slater and Gordon Lawyers. Claire graduated from the University of Dundee in 2012 before going on to study the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Edinburgh.  She worked as a Paralegal with Slater and Gordon before beginning her traineeship in June 2017.
Claire is particularly interested in supporting members struggling to find their footing in the legal profession, through providing advice and networking opportunities.  




Chiara Pieri
Chiara is a Trainee Solicitor at Digby Brown Solicitors and will qualify in September 2018. Chiara graduated from the University of Glasgow with a degree in Scots Law with Italian Language in 2014, having also completed a year at the University of Bologna. She went on to complete her Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Strathclyde. Chiara is keen to encourage members to become involved with the wider profession through organising social, networking and CPD events. You can follow Chiara on Twitter at @chiarapieridb

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.