14 September 2010

Leading legal figures set for Scrymgeour seminar series

Lord Turnbull, one of Scotland’s most esteemed lawyers and a judge in the Court of Session, will next week launch the 2010 Scrymgeour Seminar Series by discussing whether criminal trial processes have kept pace with developments in criminal law.

The Scrymgeour Series is the University of Dundee’s premier programme of events dedicated exclusively to Law. Lord Turnbull, an alumnus of the University, will deliver the first of this year’s seminars at the at the School of Law’s Moot Court Room, Scrymgeour Building, from 4pm on Wednesday, September 22nd.

This will be followed by a further four fascinating seminars hosted by some of the leading figures from the legal world over the next few months. The programme of speakers is as follows:

• Wednesday, October 13th - Dr Laura Piacentini (University of Strathclyde),
• Wednesday, November 10th - Professor David Kershaw (London School of Economics)
• Friday, November 19th - Advocate General Eleanor Sharpston (European Court of Justice)
• Wednesday, December 1st - Professor Joanna Gray (Newcastle University)

Event organiser Justin Borg-Barthet, a lecturer at the School of Law, said, "We are delighted to start this year’s series with a seminar by one of our many esteemed alumni.

"Lord Turnbull’s visit serves as a reminder of the School of Law’s long tradition of excellence in teaching and research, as well as our close links with the legal profession. We hope that his visit will reinforce the message to our students that they can go on to be of service to the legal profession and the wider community.

"This seminar will mark the beginning of a series in which our research community will interact with some of the foremost legal thinkers of our time. Visiting scholars of this calibre enhance the outstanding research environment at our Law School."

Lord Turnbull graduated from the Schoolof Law at Dundee in 1979, and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocatesin 1982. In 1998, was appointed one of two senior prosecuting counsel in the Lockerbie bombing trial.

He also prosecuted some of Scotland's most difficult criminal cases, including that of William Beggs, known as the "Limbs in the Loch" murder, Luke Mitchell, who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Jodi Jones, and businessman Nat Fraser, who was convicted of killing his wife, Arlene.

In 2006, Lord Turnbull was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the Court of Session and High Court of Justiciary, the Supreme Courts of Scotland. In 2008, he was awarded an honorary doctorateof laws by Dundee.

The Scrymgeour Seminar Series was established in the early 1990’s, originally as a forum that would lead to the publication of edited books. It has since developed into a series where eminent scholars are invited to discuss their work with the research community at Dundee Law School.

Renowned scholars, judges and law commissioners have given seminars in the past. The 2009-2010 series features presentations by prominent academics and judges from six jurisdictions and spanning several legal disciplines.

The Series is named in honour of Henry Scrymgeour (1506-1572). A native of Dundee, Scrymgeour went on to graduate from St. Andrews, and become Professor of Philosophy and Civil Law in the University of Geneva.

All seminars are free and open to all. Call 01382 386736 or email l.d.findlay@dundee.ac.uk for more details.

Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277