Appointments

Thorntons' Loretta Maxfield has been named a certified specialist in data protection by the Law Society of Scotland. Ms Maxfield, who has been with Thorntons since 2005, specialises in IP, data protection and information governance, and is qualified in both Scots and English law.

David Strang has been named as the new chair of the Drug Deaths Taskforce. He is a former chief constable who previously chaired the independent inquiry into mental health services in Tayside. Mr Strang was also HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in Scotland. He takes up this new position with immediate

Justice Secretary Keith Brown has announced the appointment of Lindsay Montgomery as the new lay chairing member of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland. Mr Montgomery has substantial experience in the management, leadership and governance of public bodies. Past roles include director of res

Nadine Martin has been appointed as legal director at Gibson Kerr Solicitors. She has an established practice which encompasses all areas of family law and child law, including separation, divorce, financial provision, cohabitation, residence and contact disputes and relocation of children.

Following a selection process, Professor Jo Shaw has been appointed head of school at Edinburgh Law School. Professor Shaw has held the Salvesen Chair of European Institutions since January 2005, as well as the roles of dean of research of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences from 200

Dawn Robertson has joined BTO Solicitors' Edinburgh office. An experienced tribunal practitioner who has appeared in the EAT, her arrival brings BTO’s total number of accredited specialists to four. Her fellow partners Caroline Carr, Laura Salmond and Jacqueline McCluskey are also specialists

Balfour and Manson has welcomed its latest intake of law graduates.

Gilson Gray has appointed Richard Shepherd as a partner in its property team. Based in Aberdeen, Mr Shepherd joins the firm from James & George Collie, where he has been the managing partner since 2014.

Shoosmiths has opened an office in Brussels and recruited experienced lawyer Kiran Desai to meet growing client demand for European Union competition, regulatory and trade law advice. Dual-qualified in Belgium and in England and Wales, Mr Desai was previously the EU competition law leader at EY Law

Former Law Society of Scotland registrar, David Cullen, is to join Douglas Mill Consulting. "When I heard David was leaving LSS after 30 years of sterling service, I called him to congratulate him and to see what his plans were. Asking him to come on board was a no-brainer. He has years left in the

Burges Salmon has announced the appointment of Amy Cornelius as director and Gregor Hayworth as senior associate in the firm’s dispute resolution team based in Edinburgh. Prior to joining Burges Salmon, Ms Cornelius held a range of senior roles, including senior associate, commercial dispute r

A Thorntons solicitor has been appointed as a committee member to the Trainee and Newly Qualified Society (TANQ), which is run by the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow. Danielle Mari Connell, a newly qualified solicitor in Thorntons’ IP, Media and Technology team, will have the opportuni

Christine O’Neill QC, chairman of Brodies LLP, has been re-elected to serve a fourth consecutive term in the role. First elected to the position of chairman in 2013, she plays an integral role in the firm’s business planning and governance and will continue to represent the partnership i

Forbes Leslie has stepped down as senior partner of Dallas McMillan after 20 years in the position, with head of litigation Gordon Bell taking his place. David McElroy meanwhile became the firm’s managing partner. His role will focus on the firm’s business development and strategic plann

Scottish ministers have appointed 15 part-time sheriffs and 17 part-time summary sheriffs. The new part-time sheriffs are: Robert Carr, Duncan Hamilton QC, Kirsty Hood QC, Krista Johnston, Gareth Jones, Neil Kinnear, Mark Lindsay QC, Scott Manson, Christian Marney, Robert More, James Mulgrew, Iain N