The selection of the Vice President of the Law Society will be made from the three candidates, Bruce Beveridge, Ian Bryce and David Newton. By convention, the Vice President is elected unopposed to the Presidency.

Each year the candidates prepare mission statements to inform the voting.

Bruce Beveridge

"Why am I standing for election as Vice President?

This is a critical time for the Society and for the profession. It is imperative that we work with determination to ensure that the Society is considered to be a valued, worthwhile and effective body. I have a long and wide range of experience in practice, on Council and Committees and in some of the challenging roles I have held. Working with Austin, the Council and the staff at the Society I believe we can make good progress over the next two years. I can offer the commitment, time, energy, enthusiasm and experience the Vice President’s role needs today.

"What would I achieve if elected? I would strive to:

 -promote the work and raise the profile of the Council and the Society, and represent the profession to the public, passionately and tirelessly.

 -build strong, cooperative working relationships with interest groups across the profession, other business sectors and the public, continuing Cameron Ritchie's 'One Profession' initiative.

 -focus on navigating a safe course for Council through the turbulent waters of the constitution, ABS and the wider profound change the Society and the profession face.

 -support the profession to make the most of the opportunities, manage the threats and to adapt in these challenging times: to achieve that I would help Council to use its time and skills on addressing the key issues.

 -help to shape and deliver the Society's strategic vision – and focus on achieving our corporate objectives and delivering good value; in other words, doing the day job.

 -work closely with the executive (as Convenor of the Board) to ensure that our business planning revolves around on what we need to deliver and that the Board provides effective support. I believe firmly in results being delivered through teamwork and would champion a close, effective working relationship between the Council and the executive.

 -give Austin as President my unwavering support. I believe that my personality, skills, experience and perspective would dovetail well with Austin’s to deliver a highly effective strategic partnership.

"WHEN? The next three year period is critically important. We must act - and deliver for the profession - with energy, passion, enthusiasm and resolve. I leave the Government Legal Service this month and have the time and the desire to build in three years' consistent commitment to get the job done, and done well.

"HOW would I be able to deliver? I firmly believe that I possess the blend of skills, experience and personal attributes necessary to deliver what needs to be achieved. Throughout my career I have built a consistent track record of getting things done in difficult situations and within challenging timescales. I have demonstrated the ability to build constructive, strategic relationships with different interest groups. I work in an open and honest way which builds trust and the opportunity to deal effectively with thorny issues.

"My legal experience extends across every sector of the profession: having started in a traditional full-service high street firm in Glasgow (Mitchells Roberton) before joining the Scottish Office, dealing initially with a wide range of civil litigation my career experience spans a broad spectrum from property and welfare to competition and data protection – and having operated at a senior level in-house, corporate governance.

"My strategic experience has been developed since the mid-1990's. I have led significant strategic change within central Government and as the Lord President's Legal Secretary (reform of personal injury action procedure in the highly politically sensitive context of asbestosis cases), as Deputy Keeper at Registers of Scotland delivering significant service improvements to the profession and public and most recently within the Rural Affairs Department steered complex and controversial legislation successfully through Parliament.

"My organisational experience includes operating at senior board level in Registers of Scotland, on Ministerial advisory boards and Departmental management boards. I have a wealth of experience of corporate governance, performance and restructure issues, and delivery internally, to the profession and to the public. I have a thorough knowledge and experience of how the Society operates and would be able to hit the ground running."