Austin takes the helm at Royal Faculty

Austin, a past president of the Law Society of Scotland, who has run his own legal firm for more than 30 years, including offices in Giffnock and Newton Mearns, took office last week.

He’s thrilled to be at the helm of the Royal Faculty, which serves the legal profession in Glasgow and West Central Scotland, and is housed in a Category-A listed building in Nelson Mandela Place.

Austin said: “I am honoured and very proud of this appointment. It means a lot to me.

“I regard this one of the pinnacles of my wider work. Indeed, it may well be the final representative appointment in my legal career.

“My brother Philip is also currently dean of The Faculty of Solicitors of Dunbartonshire.

“The Royal Faculty is a highly collegiate organisation and my job will be to foster and promote that collegiality during my term in office.

“Collegiality says everything about what a good profession should be, what a good local organisation should be, what I aspire to and what I welcome from others.

“I look forward to the two years ahead.”

The Royal Faculty was incorporated prior to 1668 but opened at its current site in Nelson Mandela Place in 1857.

The building, a jewel in the city’s architectural heritage, is currently undergoing a £200,000 programme of renovations.

Outgoing dean, Donald Reid, of Mitchells Roberton, was appointed an honorary member at last week’s AGM, with the Faculty praising the tenacity of his leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Donald said: “This is an honour I would never have dreamt would be mine in the earlier stages of my career.

“I am very grateful to the Faculty for conferring this upon me.”

Austin said: “I cannot think of anybody who has done the job better and I certainly cannot think of anybody who has done the job in more challenging circumstances.

“We are very grateful to Donald.”

Stephen Vallance of Harper Macleod was appointed as vice-dean.

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