Success rewarded: The 2012 Legal Awards

BIGGART BAILLIE walked away with the big prize at the Scott+Co Scottish Legal Awards 2012, on a night that recognised success in the profession – and honoured the life of a great lawyer.

The family of Frank Maguire accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the senior partner at Thompsons Solicitors, who died last September aged 55 after a career fighting injustice. Just weeks after his death, the UK Supreme Court rejected an appeal by insurance companies and upheld the validity of the Damages (Asbestos-related Conditions Act) passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2009 to give the right to victims of pleural plaques to claim damages – an act Mr Maguire had worked tirelessly to introduce.

In a powerful and moving speech, Mr Maguire’s son Matthew said: “If dad was here to receive this award, he would say he was honoured and delighted and part of a team, and only achieved as much as he did professionally with the help of his colleagues at Thompsons. He would say Thompsons was a different kind of law firm, committed to helping victims of accident, injury and injustice. He would mention Syd Smith [his fellow senior partner at Thompsons], with whom he forged a formidable partnership based on friendship and shared ideology.”

Mr Maguire then paid a personal tribute to his father: “I am very proud to say that his contribution to law and society has been unique. He deserves this award and I am honoured to receive it on behalf of my mum and three brothers.

“Partly because I am a law student myself, I am delighted he made such a significant impact. His name even cropped in one of my exams once – and, thankfully, I passed!

“Dad has left an indelible mark on Scotland. He never accepted things that were wrong and unjust. Young kids always ask ‘Why?’ and dad never grew out of that; the law was not set in stone and was not always right, and he would always challenge received wisdom. That is his legacy to us and to Scotland.”

Announcing the winner on behalf of The Scotsman, sponsor of The Lifetime Achievement Award, David Lee described some of Mr Maguire’s formidable achievements, before summing him up thus: “When I interviewed him after Thompsons won Firm of the Year at these awards last year, I asked what stood out in his three decades in the law. ‘Just the little things,’ he said. ‘The client who is so grateful for what you have done because it has genuinely changed their life; that gives you job satisfaction and motivates you.’”

Thompsons was again shortlisted for Firm of the Year, but was pipped by Biggart Baillie – although the success in the pleural plaques case was recognised by two awards. Thompsons won the Litigation Team of the Year, against stiff competition from Digby Brown, which was highly commended in the category. However, the judges felt the Supreme Court victory had tipped the balance in Thompsons’ favour, while Laura Blane – who worked closely with Frank Maguire on the case – was named Specialist of the Year.

Biggart Baillie had a great night, winning Firm of the Year on the strength of two strong team victories in the energy and commercial property categories. Chairman and senior partner Murray Shaw said the firm had played to its strengths in difficult times: “In commercial property, we have the strongest client base in Scotland, including lots of high-street retailers, and we acted on the Silverburn shopping centre transaction during the year in question.

“In energy, we have had a good practice for a long time. We do a lot of work for ScottishPower and a lot of work in renewables – commercial agreements, wind farm inquiries and so on – as well as solar PV. We have a good, broad strength.”

Mr Shaw said it was still very tough out there: “There is some good work – we are acting for the Rangers administrators at the moment. Those big deals used to be the cream on the cake, but now you need them due to the lack of bread-and-butter work. There is not the volume of work in terms of leasing, financing and refinancing deals that there was five or six years ago.”

Harper Macleod added to its bulging trophy room with two awards, for Public Sector Team of the Year and Employment Team of the Year – and it was a great night for Lindsays. Its noisy table took home three awards, with the team prizes for Family Law and Residential Property accompanied by an individual award, in the Rising Star category, for licensing expert Stephen McGowan. The final individual award went to Valerie Troop of Scullion Law, as Paralegal of the Year.

Perhaps the most excited winner of the night was the Scottish Young Lawyers Association (SYLA), whose representatives virtually ran to the stage to collect the Training Provider of the Year award. SYLA president Catriona Headley said: “We are ecstatic – two years of hard work has gone into this and we cannot thank the legal profession enough for the way it has supported us and our events.”

Millar & Bryce won the Innovation Award, with Thorntons Law highly commended for its LogIn2Law initiative. Morisons beat Mackinnons to scoop the coveted Private Client Team prize, while Dundas & Wilson took the Fundraising Achievement of the Year award and ESPC took the honours as Support Team of the Year.

Kirsten Speirs of KD Media, which manages the awards programme, said: “It was a fantastic night and we would like to congratulate all our winners.

“The award to Frank Maguire reminds us all what law, and lawyers, can do – and it was wonderful to celebrate and share in his inspiring achievements.”

Search Employment Team of the Year

Winner: Harper Macleod

Highly commended: Thompsons Scotland

Millar & Bryce Energy Team of the Year

Winner: Biggart Baillie

Metro Fundraising Achievement of the Year

Winner: Dundas & Wilson

Springfords Family Law Team of the Year

Winner: Lindsays

Scottish Law Directory Innovation Award

Winner: Millar & Bryce

Highly commended: Thorntons Law

Litigation Team of the Year

Winner: Thompsons Scotland

Highly commended: Digby Brown

Scottish Paralegal Association Paralegal of the Year

Winner: Valerie Troop, Scullion Law

Hotel du Vin Private Client Team of the Year

Winner: Morisons

Registers of Scotland Residential Property Team of the Year

Winner: Lindsays

Lawyer Locator Commercial Property Team of the Year

Winner: Biggart Baillie

Public Sector Law Team of the Year

Winner: Harper Macleod

The Law Society of Scotland Rising Star of the Year

Winner: Stephen McGowan, Lindsays

Specialist Lawyer of the Year

Winner: Laura Blane, Thompsons Scotland

The Lane Agency Support Team of the Year

Winner: ESPC

Barr Printers Training Provider of the Year

Winner: The Scottish Young Lawyers Association

DX Firm of the Year

Winner: Biggart Baillie

Highly commended: MBM Commercial

The Scotsman Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Frank Maguire