James Aloysius McCann

Jim was all about people, service to others, and to his faith.

Jim was born on the 14th of August 1939 in Glasgow, the second of seven children. He attended St Mungo’s Academy and then Glasgow University, graduating MA, LLB. He served his legal apprenticeship in Dumbarton and over the many decades of practice there, worked with numerous colleagues, many of whom became his great friends.

As a schoolboy, he was a talented chess player and represented Scotland. He was a fine musician, becoming an accomplished classical guitarist. Following his marriage to Jane and having a young family, they moved to Bearsden. Having been introduced to sailing by his wife, it became a passion, with weekends full of outdoor activity with Jim being the positive driving force.

I know from Jim and his family that he enjoyed nothing better than preparing for summer holidays, loading two cars with everything they would need, windsurfers attached to the roof, a boat being towed, bikes, golf clubs, horse riding kit, four children, a dog, all precariously attached.

As Jim’s children grew up and flew the nest, they settled in various parts of the world. Jim’s sailing adventures continued, favourites of his being the Whitsunday Islands between Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, the Mediterranean, and his beloved West Coast of Scotland. Jim kept logs of those trips, thoughtfully written, full of wonder, humour and joy – hallmarks of Jim’s character.

He enjoyed golf but accepted his golf swing was one of many moving parts, but the game’s intricacies enthralled him.

Jim was a humble man who never fully recognised or appreciated the beneficial impact he had upon the legal profession, nor the esteem in which he was held until his later years. He practised for over 55 years and received a not sought after award after many years of service to the profession. He never really retired, and it was only Covid and the advance of Parkinsons that ultimately forced his hand.

He was chairman of the Legal Defence Union for many years and ingrained in his character was a sense of service and duty, not only to his clients but also to his professional colleagues and the profession generally. The Legal Defence Union owes a huge debt to Jim, who was one of the driving forces behind its creation, and his service to its members can never be underestimated, and he will be sadly missed.

Jim will be remembered for the joy and pride in his four children and his grandchildren. He was calm, kind, insightful in his advice and by nature a dignified gentleman.

His thought-provoking debate will be long remembered by all who knew him. He was an exceptional man and, in many ways, an unsung hero of the legal profession.

James Aloysius McCann, 14th August 1939 – 24th April 2026