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.

Ian Bryce


"Solicitors are too modest. We deal with our clients’ cases without fully examining the significance of the service that we are providing. The importance of Law is perhaps obvious. It allows all citizens, irrespective of their means or position, to seek fairness and justice. Without law, there is no society.

"Having law is the first step, but law is meaningless without solicitors to enforce it. That is what we do. We provide access to justice to the citizens of this country. We do so on the basis that we will act with integrity, and accept professional standards and responsibilities which are sometimes onerous, but always necessary.

"I believe that this commitment to integrity, professional service and justice is what we have in common. The issues on which we hold differing views have to be resolved, but we must do so with our shared values in mind. Whether the solicitor comes from a large corporate firm, or a high street practice, we are united by these core values.

"I am committed to the role of the Law Society of Scotland in representing the core values of solicitors, and making Scotland a fairer place. I believe that communication is the key to achieving this. In my involvement with the Legal Aid Negotiating Team, I have engaged with the Scottish Government and other key stakeholders, as well as local faculties at numerous Faculty Meetings. I sought to ensure that the Profession was as fully and frequently informed as possible. I also sought to ensure that we heard directly from the Profession to better inform our approach. The recent negotiations with the Government over the Police Station Duty Scheme were a good example of the Profession uniting, speaking with one voice, and securing a fairer scheme as a consequence. I believe that this issue perfectly illustrates what the Law Society of Scotland offers the Profession and the country.

"My experience on Council, and the Management Board of the Society have taught me a great deal about the challenges facing the various sectors of the Profession, as well as those involved in managing the Society. The recession has hit both corporate and High Street lawyers, and the cuts in the public sector will affect many of our in-house lawyers. All of these sectors need to be supported, and encouraged to look to a better future.

"It is all too easy to find issues which purport to divide the legal Profession. Whether it is legal aid, ABS, or the new Constitution, these issues have sometimes generated more heat than light. There is much less publicity around what lawyers have in common. In part, this is because our core values and shared aspirations do not make good newspaper copy in the same way as disagreement. However, these core values are what must guide us as a Society, and as a Profession. If elected, I intend to be an advocate for the whole Scottish Legal Profession, and the Law Society. We ought to be proud of our central role in Scottish society, and, having spent almost every day for the last 18 years in Court, I want the chance to make the arguments on behalf of the Profession.

"I have been lucky to have the support of my family, and two very patient business partners, in my Law Society work. All of them share my aspiration to make a contribution, and I am confident that I will be able to devote time, hard work and determination to the role of supporting Austin in his role as President, if I am elected."