Runners and riders for Scottish 'Oscars'

THE entries are in, the judges have met, and the shortlist for the 2007 Scottish Legal Awards is published today.

Organisers report that the number of nominations rose by a third this year, the fifth time that the contest has been held.

The awards - sponsored by Bank of Scotland Corporate, with The Scotsman as the media partner - will be presented at a glamorous ceremony and lunch, at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on Friday, 23 February 2007.

More than 600 lawyers are expected to attend the ceremony, which is seen as one of the highlights of the year for the Scottish legal profession.

The shortlist was chosen by a judging panel of 12 experts, chaired by Margo MacDonald MSP. New judges for 2007 include: Professor Gillian Hogg, of Strathclyde University; John Ferguson from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations; and Dr Andrew Cubie, a specialist in corporate law.

Rebecca Cuthbert, the director of the Scottish Legal Awards, says: "I am delighted that we have received such a positive response from the legal community and a record number of entries. The awards continue to go from strength the strength and the increased number of entries is testament to the vibrancy of the Scottish legal sector.

"The judging panel has ensured that only the very best made the shortlist following a rigorous and meticulous judging process. It was noted that, while all nominations where of a high standard, some clearly stood out, and it is those that are announced today as contenders for an award."

She adds: "The judges considered one entry in the Positively Legal Employment Firm of the Year Category and look forward to announcing the winner at the Scottish Legal Awards lunch and ceremony on 23 February."

The shortlist of nominees for the 2007 Scottish Legal Awards is as follows:

• Firm of the year: Bell & Scott; Gillespie Macandrew; and Pagan Osborne.

• Partner of the year: Mike Dailly (Govan Law Centre); Tom Johnston (Young & Partners); Ken McCracken (Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie); and David Reith (Lindsays).

• Rising star of the year: David Beveridge (Macdonald Henderson); Louise Fox (Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie); Fiona McDonald (Pagan Osborne); and Iain Nisbet (Govan Law Centre).

• Paralegal of the year: Fiona Hunter (Drummond Miller); Jean Macdonald (Harper Macleod); and Kirsten Sewell-Carson (Macdonald Henderson).

• CSR initiative of the year: Harper Macleod; McGrigors; and Pagan Osborne.

• Residential property team of the year: Balfour & Manson; Murray Beith Murray; Pagan Osborne; and Simpson & Marwick.

• Commercial property team of the year: Bell & Scott; Harper Macleod; Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie; and Young & Partners.

• Marketing initiative of the year: Anderson Strathern; Bell & Scott; Ledingham Chalmers; and Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie.

• Support team of the year: Millar & Bryce; Pagan Osborne (business improvement team); Pagan Osborne (HR team); and Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie.

• Project team of the year: Govan Law Centre; Property Standardisation Group; Tods Murray; and Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie.

• High growth firm of the year: Anderson Fyfe; Gillespie Macandrew; and Pinsent Masons.

• For more details about the 2007 Scottish Legal Awards and the awards ceremony, visit www.thescottishlegalawards.com or call KDMedia on 0131-624 9844.