JUSTICE SCOTLAND LECTURE

We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming JUSTICE Scotland event, Rights, Justice and the Rule of Law in Scotland, taking place in the historic heart of legal Edinburgh.

This year's JUSTICE Scotland lecture, will be held at the Signet Library on Monday 16 March at 5.30pm.  

This will take the form of a fireside chat between two distinguished speakers, who will be announced shortly. The lecture will be followed by a drinks and networking reception, kindly sponsored by Pinsent Masons.

Attendance is complimentary.

VANS HATHORN WS

The Society is delighted to announce that through the generosity of the Hathorn family it has secured on long term loan a portrait of Vans Hathorn WS, the founding hero of the Society’s orphan school John Watson’s Institution.

The portrait was commissioned in December 1837 to honour Vans Hathorn, the long-serving treasurer of the school and by then well into his 80s, while there was still time. He’d been involved in the affairs of John Watson’s Trust since 1813, and it was his brilliance in the handling of the legacy in trust and his determined fight that it be used to help orphans that had enabled the school’s opening in 1828.

Treasurer of the Society Andrew Storie put the task in the hands of John Watson Gordon (later knighted), who was working at the same time on a separate commission from the Society, the portrait of Lord Hope that now dominates the Grand Stair. By January 1838, Hathorn’s portrait was described as “well underway” and by January 1839 the picture was finished and hanging in the school’s chapel. Hathorn lived to see it there, passing away nine months later.

The Hathorn portrait hanging in the chapel.

The painting remained in the chapel until the final closure of the school in 1975. The vast painting would have been threatened with homelessness had the Hathorn family not stepped in to take it under their care, and the picture was restored and reframed at their expense before being rehung in their London home. They were keen however that the picture would one day return to Edinburgh, and when the Society sent out an appeal in 2025 to learn of the painting’s whereabouts, they got in touch and offered to host a visit from Society researchers. From these first conversations came the offer of the picture coming to the Signet Library which will be its third home in 188 years.

The picture is a powerful visual symbol and representation of the WS Society’s charitable work and involvements, at a time when, with the Society itself now a registered charity, these have never been closer to the heart of its everyday life. The painting will hang alongside the Grand Stair, next to the Raeburn portrait of George Dallas, whose System of Stiles, written during the Carolingian Restoration period, launched three centuries of WS intellectual involvement in Scottish life and law.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY EVENT

To mark the 115th anniversary of International Women’s Day, Women in Law Scotland and Women at the Bar invite WS members to an address by the Lord Advocate, Rt. Hon. Dorothy Bain KC, on Thursday 5 March 2026 at 6 pm in Parliament Hall.

The Lord Advocate will offer a personal reflection on the progress made over the course of her career in protecting women and children in Scotland from violence and other forms of exploitation, and on the challenges that remain.

Dorothy Bain KC has appeared in Scotland’s highest courts and the UK Supreme Court, and has played a significant role in some of the country’s most complex and high-profile cases.

She served as an Advocate Depute from 2002 to 2011 and was appointed Principal Advocate Depute in 2009 — the first woman to hold the role — leading Scotland’s most serious criminal prosecutions. In 2008, her landmark report on the prosecution of sexual crime in Scotland led to the creation of the National Sex Crimes Unit.

Since her appointment as Lord Advocate in June 2021, Bain has advised the Scottish Government on constitutional matters, presented cases of national importance before the UK Supreme Court, and driven reforms in sexual offence law, victims’ rights, and drug policy.

This event is a joint collaboration between Women in Law Scotland and Women at the Bar.

CURLING AT THE SIGNET LIBRARY

In February, the GB Curling Team led by Bruce Mouat came home with a silver medal in the men’s event and a fourth place finish in the mixed doubles. The GB team came back with three gold medals and five medals in all — the best Winter Olympics performance by a GB team in history.

To celebrate their achievement and to mark the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina more generally, the Signet Library has put together an online exhibition featuring some of the rich literature around Scotland’s Ain Game including some of the game’s earliest mentions in the legal literature of the country.

The WS Society’s Historical Consultant Dr Kit Baston has written an account of an early legal battle involving the game of curling as part of her ongoing Tales from the Session Papers series.

SIG ROUND UP

AI SIG will be joined by Scott Simpson from the Security Circle, Charity and Third Sector SIG set to hear from OSCR on the implementation of the recent charity law changes in Scotland and Book Club meets to discuss Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. More details below.

AI

All WS members are welcome, you don’t need to have attended a previous AI SIG. On Wednesday 25 March, 12.30 - 1.30 pm, the group will be joined by Scott Simpson, CEO at The Security Circle, to discuss the harms and issues that AI implementation presents. He will talk about the questions you could be asking to ensure the right actions are being taken, such as good governance, security, and 3rd party assurance.

Not to be missed!

Register for the Zoom meeting here.

ART

12 members of WS Art SIG met on Sunday 22 February at the RSA, The Mound, Edinburgh for Peter Graham ROI  RSW’s wonderful guided tour of the 145th Open Annual Exhibition of the RSW (Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour Exhibition). The group all appreciated hearing interesting facts about the individual Artist’s backgrounds, painting styles, and trajectories. One of the group’s Members, Caroline Docherty OBE WS, recognised one of the exhibition’s painters, Ann Oram RSW, as having work at the WS!

Afterwards, the group travelled up to the Signet Library for a relaxing afternoon tea in the most splendid and elegant Colonnades, where they discussed art and life.

To note interest, for future Art SIG events, please email membership@wssociety.co.uk.

BOOK CLUB

The group meets approximately every six weeks, with the books for discussion alternating between contemporary award winning fiction, and more classic works. 

The next meeting is on Tuesday 10 March, 6.00 - 7.00 pm, when the group will discuss Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Register for the Zoom meeting here.

CHARITY AND THIRD SECTOR

Next week, the Charity and Third Sector SIG will be joined by The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) for a 360? conversation on the implementation of the recent charity law changes in Scotland, what's next, and emerging trends in the sector.

The meeting will be held on Thursday 5 March, 12.30 - 1.30 pm. Please register for the Zoom meeting here.

GOLF

The WS Beginners Golf continue to meet at Dalmahoy Golf Club, Edinburgh on Tuesdays and Saturdays with Pro Scott Dixon.

If you would like to join the next session, or find out more, please email membership@wssociety.co.uk.

PERFORMING ARTS

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new SIG, the Performing Arts SIG will focus on in-person visits to the theatre, museums, opera and ballet. 

There was a short Zoom call held on Monday 23 February to discuss the interests of the group and future meetings. Thank you to those who attended. Please keep an eye on our Special Interest Group page for updates.

If you would like to note your interest for this group, please email the Membership team at membership@wssociety.co.uk.

BREAKFAST NETWORKING

Following on from February’s Breakfast Networking, we are pleased to announce the next Member Networking event will take place on Wednesday 25 March, 8 am - 9 am.

This is an opportunity for our Full, Associate and Affiliate members to make connections, during a relaxed and informal event. You are welcome to attend for the full hour or simply pop in before you head to work for the day.

There is no better way to kick off the workday than with fresh coffee, pastries, and the exceptional company of our legal community. As one member put it:

“A really enjoyable way to start the day with some networking over coffee at the beautiful [Signet Library]. No agenda, great conversations and the chance to meet some new folk.”
 
These sessions are designed to be informal and accessible; a space for our members to connect, share ideas, and build new relationships in the stunning surroundings of the Signet Library. We’ll be hosting these breakfast catchups regularly. Keep an eye on our upcoming newsletters and emails for future dates.

To help us plan catering, we’d appreciate it if you could let us know whether you plan to attend. Please email membership@wssociety.co.uk. However, you’re very welcome to drop in on the day even if you haven’t RSVP’d.

We look forward to seeing you.

Please note – we will be holding more Breakfast Networking events throughout the year. Please contact Sarah Leask with any questions.

MEMBER SPOTLLIGHT ON SIAN KEDDIE

Affiliate member, Sian Keddie, talked to us about her path to law, being named a Key Lawyer by Legal 500 and the role the Society has played in her career to date.

PRO BONO REQUEST — HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SCHOOL NUTRITION IN SCOTLAND

We have received an exciting pro bono invitation from our colleagues at Clifford Chance regarding a project that sits at the intersection of legislative reform and social impact.

Magic Breakfast, a leading charity dedicated to ending morning hunger as a barrier to education, is seeking specialist legal support to help bring a Scottish universal school breakfast proposal to life.

The charity is looking for legal experts to assist with legislative drafting. The core of the work involves adapting existing draft provisions to ensure they align seamlessly with the Scots law framework, specifically focusing on education law, children’s wellbeing and rights and public law structures.

There is a comfortable lead time for this project, with a final deadline of 1 April 2026.

If this project resonates with your practice or your firm’s pro bono goals, please express your interest. This is a unique chance to use your expertise to ensure no child in Scotland starts their school day hungry.

KEEP YOUR MEMBERSHIP DETAILS UP TO DATE

If you have changed firms, moved house or changed your email address please let us know.

We are keen that the contact details we hold for you are up to date. Therefore, if anything has changed, please send our Membership team an email to membership@wssociety.co.uk with any updates. Thank you.

INVITATION FROM THE BOSWELL SOCIETY

The Boswell Society are extending an invitation to join a small group tour to Corsica 5 - 12 September 2026.

In 1765, young Scottish writer James Boswell embarked on journey to Corsica, during its struggle for independence. His meeting with the leader Pascal Paoli and his vivid account of Corsican life captured the imagination of Europe. To commemorate this remarkable adventure, the Boswell Society invites you to retrace his steps across the island he so passionately admired.

Places are limited and those interested in joining this bespoke adventure should contact Richard Davies. 

DUNDEE STUDENT LAW REVIEW — CALL FOR PAPERS

The Dundee Student Law Review (DSLR) is a student-run, peer-reviewed legal academic journal, which is now making a call for papers for Volume XII. Volume XII’s theme is set to focus on climate change challenges, energy solutions, and other related topics.

For both inspiration and guidance, the quote provided below captures the essence of what the DSLR aims to have students critically engage with:

“There is again concern over Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheet melt, with the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation] (AMOC) collapsing, bringing severe regional weather changes. These, however, are still projected events that can be avoided should considerable investment and development of sustainable technologies occur.” (A Guide to the New Energies, 2nd edn, Aberlour Press Ltd 2023)

The DSLR invites any member of the WS, either full member, affiliate or student, to submit work that discusses any desired area or aspect of law within the above-noted theme for the new issue. 

• Please include your full name and the aspect or area of law the submission discusses

• Submissions that offer a critical or original perspective to the given theme will be prioritised

• Please omit your name from the article itself as all submissions will be edited/reviewed anonymously to ensure fair practice

• Submissions should be no longer than 10,000 words

• Please refer to OSCOLA for citing sources

The deadline for submissions for Volume XII is 25th May 2026. Submissions should be emailed as attachments to: law-studentreview@dundee.ac.uk:

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT — KIRSTY MCEWING

Kirsty McEwing

Kirsty is a University of Aberdeen graduate and a first year trainee solicitor at the WS Society.

Sarah Leask sat down with Kirsty to discuss why she decided to pursue law as a career path, her experiences and impressions as a trainee of the WS Society.

SIGNET CPD 2026

As we move into 2026, the WS Society continues its charitable mission of advancing legal education with a sophisticated line-up of CPD conferences. Hosted within the neoclassical halls of the Signet Library in Edinburgh, this year’s programme is designed to bridge the gap between centuries-old legal tradition and the rapid technological shifts of the modern era.

Collaboration remains a cornerstone of the Society’s success. This year, we are proud to continue our partnerships with leading industry bodies to provide niche, high-level updates from partners STEP Scotland, the Agricultural Law Association and the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association.

Beyond the black-letter law, the 2026 series emphasises the well-being and diverse interests of our members. This year sees the expansion of our Special Interest Groups (SIGs), including the newly formed AI SIG and the Art & History SIG, ensuring that the Society remains a place where "law, history, and culture converge."

"The WS Society programme isn’t just about ticking a box for CPD hours; it’s about participating in a community that shapes the direction of the Scottish legal profession."

SIG ROUND UP AND THE NEW PERFORMANCE ARTS SIG

AI
The AI SIG met earlier this month for a focused discussion on the fast‑evolving role of artificial intelligence in the legal profession. Members identified the key areas that will shape future meetings and explored why AI has become a strategic priority for law firms.

Key discussion topics included:

• Practical implementation of AI tools within firms and how they are being deployed in day‑to‑day legal work.

• AI governance, ethics and risk, including issues around accountability, transparency, and data security.

• Talent development and training, particularly how firms can build the skills needed to work effectively with AI and the implications for junior lawyer development.

• Changes to service delivery models, examining how AI is reshaping ways of working and influencing client expectations.

• Quality assurance considerations, and how firms can maintain high professional standards as technology evolves.

Future meetings will explore these themes in greater depth.

The next meeting date will be confirmed shortly. Please keep an eye on the Special Interest Group page on our website for updates.

BOOK CLUB

Book Club met on 27 January for a discussion on Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico.

The group meets approximately every six weeks, with the books for discussion alternating between contemporary award winning fiction, and more classic works.  A popular genre has been “returning to books we read when younger”.

March’s meeting will be on Tuesday 10 March, 6 - 7 pm to discuss Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. To register for the meeting, please click here.

CHARITY AND THIRD SECTOR

The Charity and Third Sector SIG will be meeting on Thursday 5 March, 12.30 - 1.30 pm They group will be joined by The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) for a 360? conversation on the implementation of the recent charity law changes in Scotland, what's next, and emerging trends in the sector.

Register for the Zoom meeting here.

GOLF

The WS Beginners Golf group has started a new six-week session at Dalmahoy Golf Club, with Pro Scott Dixon.

The groups meet on a Tuesday or a Saturday, depending on preference. Clubs can be provided and no special clothing is required other than something warm and comfortable.

Cost is £150 for 6 lessons.

If you would like to find out more, please email membership@wssociety.co.uk.

PERFORMING ARTS SIG

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new SIG, the Performing Arts SIG will focus on in-person visits to the theatre, museums, opera and ballet.

You are invited to a short Zoom call to discuss future meetings. If you are interested in contributing ideas on events to attend, please join a brief call on Monday 23 February at 12:.30 pm. Click here to register. If you are unable to attend the initial call, or have any ideas on cultural events that would be relevant to the group, please email the Membership team at membership@wssociety.co.uk.

 ART SIG, HISTORY SIG AND STUDENT SIG

Please check the Special Interest Group page on our website for future meetings.

SIGNET MAGAZINE

FRANKENSTEIN covers March SIGNET magazine
edited by Robert Pirrie WS

COVER STORY – Frankenstein and film.

NEW FELLOWS – Lord Hodge and Lord Carloway.

HAMILTON PALACE – Dr Godfrey Evans on lost magnificence.

ANGIOLINI INQUIRY – Keeper of the Signet, Lady Angiolini.

SPOTLIGHT, ADMISSIONS, ANNUAL DINNER and much more.

THE LAMB MANUSCRIPT OF STAIR’S INSTITUTIONS OF THE LAW OF SCOTLAND

Attendees at the last WS Society Annual Dinner may recall the small exhibition in the lobby which commemorated the 110th anniversary of the donation to the Signet Library of the manuscript of Sir Walter Scott’s novel Bride of Lammermoor. On display that evening was a legal manuscript in the Society’s collections which a re-cataloguing project had revealed to be a seventeenth century manuscript copy of the Earl of Stair’s pivotal work The Institutions of the Law of Scotland which brought all of the disparate elements of the Scottish law into one system for the first time.

Stair had originally written the work in 1659-1662, and it had circulated in handwritten form, revised in 1666, until its first printing in 1682. The Signet Library holds four of these handwritten copies, known as the Anderson, Burnside, Smyth and Lamb manuscripts, and they are among the earlier of the copies that survive in the world’s libraries and other collections. The new discovery – the Lamb MS – has just been examined by Professor Adelyn Wilson, whose brilliant analysis of the Stair MS in Scottish libraries was published by the Stair Society in 2015.

Research is still continuing, but at present it appears likely that the Lamb MS is “an early example of the earliest text” and related to the Brousterland MS in the second largest identifiable “group” of the Stair MS. This means that with the other three Signet Library MS representing Stair’s 1666 revisions, and finding places in each of the main three “family trees” of Stair MS (related by one MS being copied from another and identified as such by internal evidence), the Signet Library collection of Stair MS can demonstrate and display most of the process that led to the first and second printed editions of Stair’s Institutions. The Library holds excellent examples of all of the printed editions, so the story of this most important Scottish legal text can be found and told from within our own walls.

BREAKFAST NETWORKING AT THE SIGNET LIBRARY

The Society is pleased to invite members to a breakfast networking event on Tuesday 10 February, from 08.00 to 09.00 am, at the Signet Library.

This will provide the opportunity to make connections with fellow members, during a relaxed and informal event.

Feel free to attend for the full hour or simply pop in before you head to work for the day!

To help us plan catering, we’d appreciate it if you could let us know whether you plan to attend. Please email membership@wssociety.co.uk. However, you’re very welcome to drop in on the day even if you haven’t RSVP’d.

We look forward to welcoming you next month.

Please note we will be holding more Breakfast Networking events during the year. Please contact Sarah Leask with any questions.

“1890” AND ALL THAT: TOWARDS A NEW HISTORY OF THE WS SOCIETY

2025 marks the 135th anniversary of the publication of The History of the Society of Writers to His Majesty’s Signet.

The long introductory essays to the 1890 History remain the canonical account of the Society to this day, supplemented by those to the supplements issued in 1936 and 1983. The “1890” was the first full-scale attempt to write a history of a Scottish legal organisation and stands up well in comparison with those that came after. Nevertheless, historical practice and thought has changed and developed considerably in subsequent years. This exhibition explores the history of the “1890” and its successors of 1936 and 1983, looking at some avenues that might be taken were a similar history to be attempted today.

At the heart of this exhibition is a research project about John Watson’s Institution, undertaken for the Signet Library by Dr. Kit Baston and Jo Hockey with funding from the Old Edinburgh Club. The 1828 founding and establishment by the Writers to the Signet of John Watson’s Institution, the famous Edinburgh school for orphans, was a key moment in the WS Society’s history, and the project offers mapping and interpretation of an extensive key archive of documents relating to the early years of the school.

Over the 135 years since the publication of the “1890”, views on what would constitute a history of an organisation such as the WS Society have shifted and widened. This might be described in terms of three linked but separable discussions: the life and activity of the Society, its officers and its adjuncts; the legal careers of the Society’s lawyers and the interaction of the Society and its lawyers with the wider legal world; and the impact of the Society’s members on the wider culture in terms of knowledge, literature, art, sport.

The “1890” took the view that it was a history of the activities and administration of the Society as an entity, and the relationship and interaction of that entity with the wider social and political world.

The professional lives and activities of the Writers to the Signet in the wider legal world is an area little touched on by the “1890.” The working life of the Scottish solicitor through history is a relatively young field of scholarship, and we will reflect on some of the avenues this new work has opened up. A recent research project undertaken for the WS Society by the archivist Vilde Bentsen has mapped an archive of correspondence to the last Victorian Deputy Keeper of the Signet, Sir Charles Logan, and this exhibition will discuss how his letters may throw new light onto the exercise of the office of Deputy Keeper at a crucial moment.

Rather less touched upon as an aspect of WS Society history is the contribution made by the Society’s members – and also, very notably, by its employees – to the social and cultural world outwith the law. This exhibition will consider examples of the way Writers to the Signet and the Signet Library’s librarians have played important roles which are so often overlooked given the Society’s ancient legal focus.

SIGNET LIBRARY OPENING HOURS

Please be advised that the Signet Library will be closed for visitors and all library and research enquiries from 23 December until 5 January. We will resume our regular services and welcome visitors back to the Library on Monday 5 January.

Our membership team can be contacted throughout the festive period at membership@wssociety.co.uk or 0131 220 3249.

We wish all our members a peaceful festive season and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

WS GOLF SIG

Our beginners golf group are encouraging new members.

The SIG is starting a new 6 week session at Dalmahoy Golf Club, Edinburgh on Tuesday 20th and Saturday 24th January 2026 with Pro Scott Dixon.

The two groups meet on a Tuesday or a Saturday depending on your preference. These can be interchanged if one is missed.

Clubs can be provided and no special clothing is required, just something warm and comfortable.

The cost is £150 for 6 lessons.

If you would like to join, please email membership@wssociety.co.uk.