Governance Leadership in Practice
Experience & Leadership
Over 20 years' experience across professional leadership, executive practice, and governance advisory. From leading Scotland's 12,000-strong legal profession through ministerial scrutiny to building £15m practices and governing charities.
I bring practical understanding of what boards need from their leaders.
I've chaired boards, built teams, navigated crises, and delivered reform. My approaches aren't theory—they're earned.
Current Roles
Trustee, Scottish Solicitors' Benevolent Fund (2022–Present)
Oversee hardship support programmes for solicitors facing financial difficulty. Led governance modernisation project, including Trust Deed reform, clarified committee remits, formalised conflict-of-interest procedures, and strengthened financial reporting to ensure alignment with OSCR guidance and charity law best practice.
Member, Client Protection Sub-Committee, Law Society of Scotland (2023–Present)
Review compliance breaches and contribute to policy development strengthening consumer protection and public confidence.
Professional Leadership
President, Law Society of Scotland (2022–2023)
Council Member & Board Leadership (2015–2024)
Chaired a 40+ member hybrid Council during a period of ministerial scrutiny and regulatory reform. Unified the relationship between the representative Council and the independent Regulatory Committee, restoring public trust through transparent governance. Reformed professional indemnity arrangements affecting 12,000 solicitors, introducing mandatory risk management CPD that contributed to record-low claims. Represented Scotland's legal profession in UK-wide policy forums and internationally, including supporting Ukrainian lawyers post-invasion (resulting in appointment as honorary member of the Ukrainian Bar Association).
Chair, Dundee University Students' Association (2017–2020)
Chaired the board of a £5m charity with trading subsidiaries. Modernised governance structures, diversified the board composition to strengthen scrutiny, and improved financial reporting frameworks. Led income diversification when traditional revenue streams declined, introducing new services and securing capital investment to restore sustainability. Services achieved top ranking in Scotland and 3rd in the UK in the 2018 National Student Survey.
Sector Leadership & Innovation
Chair, LawScotTech Advisory Board (2023–2025)
Established and chaired Scotland's national hub for legal technology and ethical AI adoption. Built cross-sector partnerships between law firms, regulators, academia, and technology providers. Developed governance frameworks for responsible innovation, positioning Scotland as a leader in legal technology whilst managing emerging risks around automation and AI.
Chair, Law Society of Scotland Journal (2023–2025)
Led publisher transition and editorial governance reform; appointed diverse editorial board; transitioned 12,000+ member publication to digital-first model, reducing costs by ~30% whilst broadening engagement.
Convenor, Insurance Committee, Law Society of Scotland (2016–2021)
Reformed master policy arrangements; led broker transition to improve transparency and control; introduced digitised renewal processes.
Executive Experience
Head of Private Client & Partner, Thorntons LLP (2013–2025)
Built one of Scotland's largest private client teams, growing from 50 staff across 3 offices to 140 staff across 14 offices. Increased revenues from £4m to £15m whilst serving on the firm's Operations Board, leading governance, risk, and performance initiatives. Led a 90-day integration when Pagan Osborne entered administration (September 2017), achieving 92% staff retention and a 60% increase in departmental turnover post-integration. Transformed operations through digital workflows, reducing processing times by 23% and improving compliance tracking.
What does this means for the boards I work with?
I understand governance from multiple perspectives—as a regulator, as an executive building teams under scrutiny, as a charity trustee managing limited resources, and as someone who has navigated crises and delivered reform. I bring constructive challenge because I've experienced both good and poor governance. I'm grounded in experience from leading operations, not just observing them. And I'm a regulatory navigator who has worked across legal, charity, and professional regulation for over two decades.