Women in the legal profession: Career planning for your next milestone
 
 Thursday, 22 June 2017  
 
Women in the legal profession: Career planning for your next milestone
09:00 - 09:30Registration and refreshments
09:30 - 09:35Welcome remarks
Alison Atack, Vice President, Law Society of Scotland and Partner, Lindsays
09:35 - 09:40Introduction from the Chair
Session Chair: Val Dougan, Professional Support Lawyer & member of Law Society Equality and Diversity Committee, CMS Cameron McKenna
09:40 - 10:20Keynote: Career milestones: the skills required and benefits
Lindy Patterson QC, arbitrator, adjudicator and dispute board member, 39 Essex Chambers
  • Starting out- laying the foundations for your future
  • Following on - your choices, not others- the wider view
  • Acquiring support mechanisms; networks; inside and outside the law?
  • Changing paths and changing roles
10:20 - 11:00Panel session: Partnership and setting up your own firm
Session Chair: Val Dougan, Professional Support Lawyer & member of Law Society Equality and Diversity Committee, CMS Cameron McKenna
Grace McGill, Principal , Grace McGill & Co Solicitors
Anne Macdonald, Partner, Harper Macleod LLP
Rachael Kelsey, Director , SKO Family Law
  • Development path for senior appointments
  • Expertise and attributes required for partnership
  • Benefits and risks to setting up your own firm
11:00 - 11:20Refreshments and networking
11:20 - 12:50Delegates can attend 2 out of 4 stream sessions
11:20 - 12:00Panel Stream Session A: External Boards: Boardroom ready?
Session Chair: Alison Atack, Vice President, Law Society of Scotland and Partner, Lindsays
Carolyn Jameson, Chief Legal Officer, Skyscanner
David Watt, Executive Director, Institute of Directors
Jennifer Young, Chairman, Ledingham Chalmers
  • How to achieve for a board position
  • What is it like to be a board member
  • How to interpret a board before you join it
11:20 - 12:00Panel Stream Session B: Worklife balance, patterns of work and retention
Session Chair: Lindsey Cartwright, Partner & Accredited Specialist in Employment Law, Morton Fraser
Angie D'Andrea, Practice Manager, TC Young
Linda Urquhart OBE, Former Chairman of Morton Fraser and Portfolio Non- Executive Director, Morton Fraser
Nicola Hogg, Managing Litigation Solicitor, West Lothian Council
  • Patterns of work
  • Pitching for flexible working
  • Assessing aspirations and expectations
12:00 - 12:10Transition
12:10 - 12:50Panel Stream Session C: Working In-house: Commercial, public and third sector
Session Chair: Leigh Kirkpatrick, Senior Legal Counsel, RBS Legal
Mhairi Maguire, Group Company Secretary, Enable Scotland
Thembe McInnes, Legal Manager and member of the In House Lawyers Group, Whyte and Mackay Ltd
Karen Wiles, Head of Legal, Aberdeenshire Council
  • Guidance for those thinking of seeking an in-house position
  • Insights: What it is like to work in-house?
  • Expertise and attributes required for achieving an in-house position
12:10 - 12:50Panel Stream Session D: Academia and tutoring on the Diploma
Session Chair: Val Dougan, Professional Support Lawyer & member of Law Society Equality and Diversity Committee, CMS Cameron McKenna
Emma Greville Williams, Deputy Director (Learning & Teaching), Edinburgh Centre for Professional Legal Studies School of Law, The University of Edinburgh
Sarah King, Lecturer, University of Dundee
Kirsty Maciver, Professional Support Lawyer (Dickson Minto WS) & Tutor on the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (Edinburgh University)
  • Guidance for those thinking of seeking a tutoring role
  • Insights: What it is like to teach students?
  • Expertise and skills required for teaching and tutoring
12:50 - 13:35Lunch and networking
13:35 - 13:40Welcome to afternoon session
Session Chair: Val Dougan, Professional Support Lawyer & member of Law Society Equality and Diversity Committee, CMS Cameron McKenna
13:40 - 14:25Keynote: Increasing your profile: Using digital and tech to your advantage
Laura Irvine, Solicitor Advocate and Associate, BTO Solicitors
  • What is there in the digital world to assist is in advancing our careers?
  • How can we use it?
  • How should we use it?
  • My personal experience of social media in my profession
14:25 - 15:10Keynote: Route to the Judiciary
Judge Shona Simon, President, Employment Tribunals (Scotland)
  • What is it like to be a judge?
  • What skills and attributes are required for the role?
  • How to develop your career in the right direction to acquire a judicial role
15:10 - 15:25Refreshments and networking
15:25 - 16:05Panel session: Increasing your earning potential: Specialist Accreditation and Solicitor Advocates
Session Chair: Elaine MacGlone, Secretary, Specialist Accreditation Panels, The Law Society of Scotland
Lynne Macfarlane, Solicitor Advocate & Partner, Clyde & Co (Scotland) LLP
Christine O'Neill, Chairman, Brodies
Caroline Kelly, Partner and Solicitor Advocate, Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law, Thorntons Law LLP
  • Application procedure and process
  • Benefits to becoming accredited or a Solicitor Advocate
16:05 - 16:35Closing plenary address: Leadership and leaning in
Davinia Cowden, Senior Associate, CMS Cameron McKenna LLP / Women in Law Forum
16:35 - 16:40Closing Remarks
Session Chair: Val Dougan, Professional Support Lawyer & member of Law Society Equality and Diversity Committee, CMS Cameron McKenna