Hastie Stable’s Michael Upton appointed by Law Society as examiner

Michael Upton

Mr Upton studied at Oxford and Edinburgh Universities and at the E.U. University at Florence, and taught at Edinburgh University.

He has practised in commercial, property, planning and tax law at the bar for twenty-seven years, is a C.E.D.R.-qualified mediator, and has for fifteen years taught candidate solicitor advocates on the Law Society’s annual Civil Rights of Audience Course.

The process for being granted rights of audience in the higher courts includes candidates attending a course of lectures and workshops, passing three written assessments, conducting satisfactorily a mock oral hearing before Senators of the College of Justice, recording a quota of sitting-in days in the relevant higher court, and passing two written examinations in practice & procedure and professional conduct.

Mr Upton has been appointed under Rule C4.1 of the Law Society of Scotland Practice Rules 2011. He will be accountable to the society’s Rights of Audience Sub-Committee for setting and marking the written examination papers. He also continues to teach on the course.