Legal stars get their rewards 'as this is not the time to be hiding lights under bushels'

The deputy president of the UK Supreme Court was among a host of winners recognised for their achievements in Scottish law at a glittering prize-giving ceremony in Edinburgh's International Conference Centre.

After a heartfelt tribute made by awards judge John Campbell, QC, Lord Hope took the stage and said he had been "extremely lucky and very fortunate" in his career.

"I made my choice to practise law in Scotland, and I have to say, if there is anywhere to practise law in the world, there can be no better place than Scotland," he said. "We have the huge advantage of a small country, people who know each other, and because reputations matter in a world of this kind, there is a very high degree of trust and probity, right through the profession.

"What I would like to see in these troubled times is greater recognition of the strengths of the profession. These are tough times for lawyers, but at various stages of my career, we have always been saying that. Don't lose courage – there is a tremendous amount to look forward to. We have a superb profession."

He added: "I have been deeply honoured by this award, and very touched."

Later in the day, Harper Macleod walked away with the Firm of the Year prize after impressing the judges with its strategic handling of the downturn and its upturn in turnover during 2009.

Professor Lorne Crerar said his team was "delighted" by the accolade. "We have worked extremely hard over the past year to maintain our consistently high service levels to clients which could only have been achieved with our highly dedicated team," he said.

Earlier in the awards ceremony, hosted by BBC news reader Catriona Shearer, Edinburgh firm Simpson & Marwick collected two awards for Property Team of the Year, sponsored by ros.gov.uk, and Family Law team of the Year, sponsored by GP Wolffe.

Richard Loudon, who heads the firm's property arm, Edinburghprimeproperty.com, said the success was down to "client service, really caring about the result and a brilliant team".

Shaun George, head of the firm's family law department, added: "It's a team effort and we are delighted for the team after their hard work throughout the year."

Elsewhere, presentations were made to Paull & Williamsons of Aberdeen for Employment Team of the Year sponsored by PRG; Morton Fraser won Private Client Team of the Year sponsored by Hotel du Vin; Biggart Baillie won Public Sector Law Team of the Year, sponsored by MCL and Digby Brown was awarded Litigation Team of the Year, sponsored by Grant Thornton.

Fraser Oliver, of Digby Brown's executive board, said: "To be recognised by an esteemed judging panel as a leading firm is a great compliment and an accolade to be shared among all the staff at Digby Brown solicitors who have worked so hard throughout the year."

The judges also recognised individual achievement, naming Audrey Dishington of Pagan Osborne as the Rising Star of the Year and Ed Watt of HBJ Gateley Wareing as Specialist Lawyer of the Year.

Ms Dishington said: "I was honoured to be nominated for the title by my bosses at Pagan Osborne. To win the award is absolutely fantastic and I couldn't be happier."

And Ed Watt, a shipping lawyer, said he was "absolutely delighted" to win: "The firm's shipping offering has seen significant growth, with an increase in international sale and purchase projects, as well as the domestic vessel market," he said.

The Scottish Paralegal Association Paralegal of the Year award went to Mary Anne Swan of Nicholas J Scullion & Co; Central Law Training was named the Woods of Perth Training Provider of the Year, and the Law Society Support Team of the Year went to Millar & Bryce.

Speaking in her role as chair of the judging panel, Margo MacDonald MSP said: "It was genuinely heartening to see the entries and to see the work that had gone into them during a period of real difficulty for lots of the companies, if not all of them, here represented.

"The first company in Edinburgh I heard of where the partners had agreed to take a cut in salary to make sure that the firm kept going and no-one lost their job was a legal firm. When it came down to it, they were the good guys. Can I congratulate everyone."

Joy Glass, partner of Scott + Co, title sponsors of the Scottish Legal Awards 2010, added: "The Scottish legal business is highly regarded all round the world, but too often we are reticent about singing our own praises. The current economic climate is not the time to be hiding our lights under bushels. Celebrating success is something we don't do often enough in Scotland so we should overcome our customary modesty and recognise just how good we are and how well we deliver for clients."

THE WINNERS IN FULL

DX Firm of the Year: Harper Macleod

The Scotsman Lifetime Achievement Award: The Rt Hon Lord Hope of Craighead

GP Wolffe Family Law Team of the Year: Simpson& Marwick

Law Society of Scotland Support Team of the Year: Millar & Bryce

PRG Employment Team of the Year: Paull & Williamsons

MCL Public Sector Law Team of the Year: Biggart Baillie

Grant Thornton Litigation Team of the Year: Digby Brown

Pilgrim Systems Specialist Lawyer of the Year: Ed Watt, HBJ Gateley Wareing

Scottish Law Directory Rising Star of the Year: Audrey Dishington, Pagan Osborne

Ros.gov.uk Property Team of the Year: Simpson & Marwick

Scottish Paralegal Association Paralegal of the Year: Mary Anne Swan, Nicholas J Scullion & Co

Woods of Perth Training Provider of the Year: Central Law Training

Hotel du Vin Private Client of the Year: Morton Fraser