New member admitted to Faculty

 

The Faculty has welcomed a new member, Jamie Gardiner.

Mr Gardiner grew up in Stirling. He graduated Bachelor of Arts from Oxford University in 2003. He completed a Graduate Diploma in Law and the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law before being called to the Bar of England & Wales in 2005.

He worked for a period on secondment with HMRC, and between 2007 and 2015 he was a Director at Accenture, a management consultancy.

At a ceremony to admit Mr Gardiner to the Faculty, the Dean of Faculty, James Wolffe, QC, said: “In becoming a member of the Faculty of Advocates, you have joined a great national institution which has played a significant role in the legal and cultural life of this nation…an institution which has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, to scholarship and learning, to the noblest ideals of professional conduct and to promoting justice for all in our society.”

In a second part of the ceremony, Mr Gardiner was admitted to the public office of advocate by Lady Wolffe, on behalf of the Court.

She said: “You are now an officer of the Court. This is a position of privilege and responsibility. On you rests the burden of maintaining the rule of law, protecting the vulnerable, and holding wrongdoers, even governments, to account.

“Consistently with your duty to the Court, you must be forthright in defence of your client’s interests. You must not be afraid to stand up to others, including to judges…Judges are often wrong and need to be told so, though always with courtesy. At all times you should exercise an independence of mind and conduct yourself with integrity.”

Lady Wolffe noted that the professional life of an advocate could be demanding, but she hoped that Mr Gardiner would discover at the Bar a great spirit of collegiality.

“Immerse yourself in the life of the Faculty; share in, and contribute to, its common life. Above all, I hope that you will find your professional life as an advocate a fulfilling one and, if you are fortunate, one with many moments of joy, satisfaction and fun. Don’t forget: you are allowed to have fun.”