We are delighted to announce our sponsorship of the upcoming Moorland Conference, hosted by Scottish Land & Estates. This event will take place at Cardney Steading, Dunkeld, on June 11, 2024, from 9:15 am to 4:15 pm.
The conference will address significant updates and changes in moorland management following the passing of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill by the Scottish Parliament. The agenda includes discussions on the new legislation’s impact on businesses, facilitating debates, and allowing participants to pose questions directly to Scottish Government agencies.
Landowners, land agents, and land managers will find this conference particularly relevant. The event promises to be an essential gathering for anyone involved in moorland management, offering talks from prominent figures such as Jim Fairlie MSP, Finlay Carson MSP,representatives from NatureScot and our Senior Partner David McKie.
As sponsors, our firm is committed to supporting initiatives that foster understanding of the complex legislation that governs Scotland’s rural landscapes and effective moorland management.
We invite all professionals involved in rural and moorland management to join this important discussion. To book your spot or for more information, please visit the Moorland Conference page. We look forward to seeing you there and engaging in these crucial conversations about the future of our rural landscapes.
Scottish Paralegal Association Glasgow Conference 2024
Neil Hay , Partner at Levy & McRae was delighted to take part in the Glasgow 2024 Scottish Paralegal Association conference last week. Neil spoke to delegates about the new legislation The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021.
Neil said “It was a pleasure to take part in this busy conference on the topic of the new Hate Crime legislation. This is an area of law which has been of great interest to the public and everyone in the legal sector. Overall the conference was a tremendous success. Congratulations to the organising Committee and many thanks for the kind invite to participate.”
Levy & McRae are delighted to sponsor what promises to be a fascinating talk in Grand Hall of The Merchants House of Glasgow this coming Friday 19th April.
The speaker is the incomparable Donald Findlay KC, who is going to speak about the notorious case of Oscar Slater (1872 – 1948), the victim of a notorious miscarriage of justice in Scotland. Wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death, Slater was freed after almost two decades of hard labour. His release came about through the efforts of several journalists, lawyers and writers, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Senior partner, David McKie, said:
‘Although the legal landscape has changed and the death penalty thankfully no longer applies, we still see miscarriages of justice, and this case, although a century old, will highlight the importance of lawyers, campaigners and journalists in the fight to ensure justice is secured, something Levy & McRae have been involved in for many decades and which continues to run through our DNA. The talk is likely to be poignant for many connected our firm, having only recently lost our former senior partner, Len Murray, who represented Anthony Miller in the last ever capital murder trial in Scotland in 1960.
We are very proud to support this event in a wonderful venue and look forward to hearing from such a unique advocate and flamboyant speaker.’
At Levy & McRae we have a long history of being appointed by organisations requiring strategic legal advice and representation in Scotland. In the latest of such appointments, we are pleased to advise that we have been engaged by the Free Speech Union, a UK wide organisation, to act in cases involving its members arising from implementation of the recently introduced Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021.
This is a new statute which has attracted much scrutiny and public debate. It is anticipated that the legislation may lead to legal challenges in the courts, and it is for this reason that Levy & McRae has been secured to provide expert legal advice. Commenting on the appointment Neil Hay, Partner and Solicitor- Advocate commented: “ We are pleased to be appointed as solicitors to Free Speech Union, as we are with all appointments by organisations. Our reputation has been built on robustly examining legislation, taking legal challenges where appropriate, and providing a powerful defence for our clients. This appointment places us at the forefront of scrutinising this new and important area of Scottish criminal law.”
We are pleased to announce that “90 Days”, a play proudly sponsored by our firm which premiers this weekend at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, was recently highlighted in an episode of the popular “Happiness is an Egg Shaped” podcast featuring first scottish women’s rugby captain Sandra Colomartino. Talking about the play she conceived, this discussion explored the history of women’s rugby in Scotland, focusing on the pivotal 1994 World Cup and the evolution of the sport to its current state, alongside the narrative of “90 Days.”
The podcast provided insightful commentary on the challenges and triumphs within women’s rugby, emphasising the cultural and social impact of the sport’s development. “90 Days” was commended for its portrayal of this journey, underscoring the play’s significance in celebrating women’s rugby.
Our firm received a mention in the podcast, recognizing our support for the arts and our commitment to initiatives that highlight the achievements in women’s sports. This acknowledgment reflects our ongoing dedication to fostering community engagement and promoting stories of empowerment and progress.
We encourage our network to listen to this episode to gain a deeper understanding of the historical and contemporary landscape of women’s rugby, and the role “90 Days” plays in this narrative. You can listen here: Happiness is Egg Shaped podcast…episode with Sandra Colamartino
Tickets are still available for some shows. We wish the cast and crew every success with the production! Details here: Traverse Theatre 90 Days .
In 2016 Stephen Giusti and Leo Martin trading as Giusti Martin, Solicitors joined Levy and McRae, Solicitors.
Stephen Giusti and Leo Martin were previously partners of Sinclair McCormick & Giusti Martin (formerly MacDonald McCormick & Giusti Martin) and HBM Sayers (also HBM Sayers Giusti Martin)
Levy and McRae hold documents created by the firms of MacDonald McCormick & Giusti Martin, Sinclair McCormick & Giusti Martin and Giusti Martin for their clients, such as wills, powers of attorney and title deeds. They also hold such documents created by Stephen Giusti and Leo Martin for their clients when they were partners in HBM Sayers. Should you require access to these or need to update them in any way please contact Levy & McRae who can assist you in respect of these documents and other matters.
If you were a client of Giusti Martin please contact Levy and McRae on 0141 307 2311 or email them at info@lemac.co.uk with details of your enquiry.
At Levy and McRae we pride ourselves on always being at the forefront of new legal developments, alongside playing a prominent role in the Scottish legal community.
Our Criminal Law Partner Neil Hay was delighted to be Chair at the CLT Scotland Criminal Law Conference held last week. Scotland`s premier criminal law conference featured a day of expert speakers and updates on case law and legislation. Neil also presented a talk on “Using prior statements in Trials” and fellow Partner Callum Anderson of Levy & McRae also delivered a talk on “Media Law for Criminal Court Practitioners”.
Levy & McRae was also represented at the conference by Hannah Fairbrother Hannah Baxter and Mark Maguire.
Our Chairman to Represent Levy & McRae at the Legal Netlink Alliance Meeting in Malta 2nd-4th February 2024.
We’re delighted to once again be atttending the upcoming Legal Netlink Alliance meeting, taking place in Malta this weekend.
Our Chairman Bill Macreath will be representing our firm at this prestigious gathering, where the focus will be on discussing the most pressing legal topics of our time, including the evolving role of AI in the legal sector.
Our Chairman’s participation in this international gathering underscores our commitment to staying at the forefront of legal topics and global collaboration. The meeting as ever will be a melting pot of ideas, with colleagues from diverse legal backgrounds across Europe and the globe sharing their insights and expertise in various practice areas and jurisdictions.
We are eagerly looking forward to the comprehensive agenda prepared by our hosts, GTG Advocates. This gathering promises to be an enriching experience, offering unique perspectives on the challenges and opportunities within the legal landscape.
After a very successful 2023 for our Criminal Defence Private Crime department, the new year commences with our Partner Neil Hay being recognised as Lawyer of the Month in Scottish Legal News.
Neil was also recently awarded The Legal 500 Scottish Crime Solicitor of the Year.
Looking ahead, our focus is clear. We aim to continue to grow our criminal defence practice, building upon our solid foundation of expertise and client service.
Neil continues to explore opportunities in Scotland and other jusrisdictions to provide sector leading criminal defence advice and representation for individuals and companies facing possible prosecution in Scottish courts.
Increasingly Neil and his team also advise companies on compliance with Scottish criminal law matters.
The full Scottish Legal News article can be read here: https://lnkd.in/ezFqPvcQ
Levy and McRae will attend the Legal Netlink Alliance meeting in Malta at the start of February to discuss the main legal topics of the day, including AI and more. Our colleagues in the Alliance will join from many different countries in Europe and around the world, bringing expertise across multiple practice areas and jusrisdictions.
We are looking forward to the agenda prepared by our hosts, the law firm GTG Advocates.
