Legal Update

PEOPLE

THE Faculty of Advocates has announced that eight new advocates have been called to the Bar. Alison Wild, Roderick Campbell, David Hay and Lynsey Rodger were joined by Catherine MacColl, John Grady, Craig Murray and Julius Komorowski in being admitted to the Faculty.

• KENNETH Mullen of Shepherd + Wedderburn has been appointed as a non-executive legal director of the board at CCTV compliance body CameraWatch. Mr Mullen is a partner in the media and technology team of Shepherd + Wedderburn, and specialises in data protection, privacy and information security, as well as IT procurement and regulation.

• ARNOT Manderson has announced the addition of newly called advocates Linda Pike and Alison Wild to its stable. Ms Pike is a former procurator fiscal depute with experience in criminal appeal work, having spent time in the Crown Office Appeals Unit. Alison Wild is a family law practitioner and accredited mediator who has acted as a university tutor and was admitted to the Cayman Islands Bar.

• FORMER professor of law at Dundee University, Alastair Bissett-Johnson has died suddenly at the age of 67. Prof Bissett-Johnson was a member of the university's senate and court and was a regular contributor on family law to legal journals.

NEWS

• DUNDEE-based firm Blackadders has announced it is to cut between 40 and 60 jobs across the firm. The move, which is understood to affect both fee-earners and support staff, will also see eight trainee solicitors, due to begin work next month, unable to take up their positions.

Johnston Clark, Blackadders' managing partner, said the cuts were the result of the current economic climate which had caused a reduction in the work of the firm's residential and commercial conveyancing operation.

The announcement comes just a week after Blackadders unveiled a change in management structure.