Scotland's hottest stand-up comic set to bring a smile to legal awards ceremony

Kevin Bridges, star of BBC's Live at the Apollo and Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, has agreed to appear at the awards ceremony and lunch held at the EICC on March 19.

He follows politician and diplomat Lord Paddy Ashdown, who gave a speech at last year's event.

The Glaswegian comic, who began his stand-up career in 2004, will entertain 400 guests gathered to celebrate the best of Scottish law, with prizes awarded in more than ten categories.

His appearance at the Edinburgh event, which will once again be hosted by television presenter Dougie Vipond, will act as a preview for a UK-wide tour that kicks off in Hull in April and will culminate in front of an audience of more than 10,000 in Glasgow.

Bridges, who performed a sell-out run at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and earned an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination for best newcomer, is also set to appear in the new series of Rab C Nesbitt as well as featuring on Mock the Week. Later in the year, his agents expect him to reprise his success with another highly anticipated run at the Fringe.

Described by The Scotsman as "The Best Scottish Stand up of his Generation," and "unnaturally talented," his comedy holds up a mirror to everyday Scottish life, with some killer one-liners and a unique brand of social commentary and astute observations.

He first took to the stage in 2004, aged just 17.

Commenting on the announcement, Joy Glass, a partner at Scott & Co, the sponsors of the Scottish Legal Awards, said: "Pundits predict that 2010 will be Kevin's year so we're delighted to secure him for the Legal Awards. He's had an astonishing rise to prominence and is guaranteed to give the Legal Awards a lot of fun and laughter as we reveal our winners."

The Scottish Legal Awards, of which The Scotsman is media partner, is the national programme for recognising excellence in all aspects of Scottish law. On the day, winners from 21 firms will be announced at the event.

This year's finalists include Burness, Biggart Baillie and Brodies as well as HBJ Gateley Wareing, Morton Fraser, Harper Macleod, Digby Brown and Anderson Strathern.

Complementing the field, a number of smaller firms have also been recognised with Miller Samuel, Maloco & Associates and Govan Law Centre also set to make an appearance.

Limited tickets for the event remain but can be booked online by visiting www.thelegalawards.com or e-mailing [email protected]. Tickets for the lunch cost 95 + VAT or 900 + VAT for a table of ten.