Facing the Future: Justice

Our panel will outline their key areas of interest and issues of concern. Scotland's National Librarian, RSA Fellow Amina Shah, will give a welcome address at the outset. We will then have an interactive Q&A with the audience where the points raised can be discussed. There will also be the option to submit a question in advance when registering.

A range of issues may be explored at this event, such as the statutory duty of candor, human rights, IT within legal processes, AI and disclosures and non-disclosures in legal actions.

Speakers

Michael Clancy OBE WS FRSE, Director of Law Reform, Law Society of Scotland

Michael graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1979 taking an LLB degree and in 1985 taking an LLM degree. In 1987 he graduated LLB (Hons) from the University of London. He is a solicitor and Notary Public. After qualification as a solicitor in private practice, he attained a partnership with the Glasgow firm of Franchi Wright & Co. He resigned this partnership in 1988 to become a Deputy Secretary of the Law Society of Scotland. He is Director of Law Reform at the Society and has published widely on a range of legal topics. He is immediate past Chairman of the International Bar Association Constitution and Governance Committee and is Secretary of the United Kingdom and Ireland Notarial Forum. Michael was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours List in June 2002. He is a member of the Society of Writers to His Majesty’s Signet and in 2024 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (Scotland’s National Academy).

Karyn McCluskey, Chief Executive of Community Justice Scotland

Training first as a nurse and then in psychology, Karyn spent 21 years in policing, establishing the widely respected Violence Reduction Unit with John Carnochan in 2003. The VRU had a public health approach to preventing violence. Karyn has published work on armed robbery teams, alcohol and violence interventions in a clinical setting and violence reduction. She is also a Non-Executive Director at the Scottish Professional Football League, a board member of Simon Community Scotland, a trustee of Medics Against Violence and also chairs the Centre for Justice Innovation.

Barney Ross, Clerk of Faculty

Barney Ross is the Clerk of Faculty, and was appointed to this role in 2022. The Clerk supports the Dean of Faculty, maintains the Faculty records, and deals with matters relating to admission to the Faculty. He sits on the Professional Standards Committee, the Training and Admission Committee and the Board of Examiners. Barney Ross is an advocate specialising in reparation, regulatory and criminal law.