Former Senior Partner Len Murray features in BBC Documentary ‘Inside Barlinnie’

Our beloved former senior partner, the late Leonard Murray, features in the fascinating BBC documentary ‘Inside Barlinnie’ which was recently released and can be viewed on iplayer, link here: Inside Barlinnie . His contribution is in episode 3.

 

Len was the solicitor who defended Tony Miller, the last ever prisoner to be hanged in Scotland after a murder conviction. Len was a young lawyer at the time, but it is a case which he took with him to his grave. He often spoke of it and the first 3 chapters of his book ‘The Pleader’, cover the case in detail. These chapters and Len’s contribution to the programme not only give an incredible insight into the case, but clearly show the effect the case had on him. They are a reminder not only of the impact which cases had on Len (which made him the great and passionate advocate he was) but on solicitors generally.

 

Sadly, when the programme was still in production, Len passed away. His family asked David McKie, our current senior partner, to contribute by reading sections from the book and what the case meant to Len.

 

David McKie said: ‘I was very sad that I didn’t get to see Len reading his own first hand account from his excellent book. When his sons asked me to step in for their dad – my good friend and mentor, I was deeply honoured and humbled to do so. It took me back not only to the many hours I spent talking to Len about cases, to a time before I was born, albeit not that long ago in comparative terms, to a different era when absolutely everything was on the line for clients and their lawyers who carried their lives in their hands. As agents, we still carry enormous burdens of responsibility. This particular case reinforced not only Len’s deep passion for his work but the impact solicitors and advocates feel every day when representing clients, whether accused of serious crimes or in any situation where their liberty, reputation or financial standing is at stake.’

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