Scottish legal profession to be represented at Pride Edinburgh this June

Drew McCusker

The Glass Network is partnering with Womble Bond Dickinson to attend Pride Edinburgh on Saturday 16 June 2018.

This will be the first time the Scottish legal profession has formally and visibly participated in a LGBT+ Pride march.

Speaking to Scottish Legal News, Drew McCusker, president of The Glass Network and trainee solicitor at Jackson Boyd, explained the rationale behind the event.

He said: “In a traditional and conservative profession such as ours, the presence and contribution of LGBT+ people has rarely been recognised.

“This invisibility and lack of acknowledgment causes problems internally, where 1/3 of LGBT+ people remain in the closet in their workplace for fear of discrimination, and externally, where clients feel they can’t relate or tell their solicitors their needs and priorities.

“That is why legal professionals are attending our Pride events this summer. The meaning of Pride has changed over the decades from a political rebellion to a victorious celebration. At the heart of it, Pride is about turning up and saying ‘we are here’.

“Our proud participation in Edinburgh’s LGBT+ Pride March on Saturday 16 June 2018 will be the first time the Scottish legal profession visibly comes together to share our pride, demonstrating support to our colleagues and understanding to the clients we serve.”

He added: “Womble Bond Dickinson feel the same way, which is why they are hosting a Pre-Pride Celebration Brunch for LGBT+ and Allied legal professionals to come together and are graciously gifting a banner for The Glass Network to march behind in the celebration itself.”

The Pride Brunch will take place at Holyrood 9A on Saturday 16 June 2018 from 9.30am to 11.00am before the public celebrations outside the Scottish Parliament and is open to everyone.

Mr McCusker encouraged “all legal professionals, colleagues, friends and partners to register for the Brunch and join us in the first ever representation of the Scottish legal profession in the Pride March”.