In-house best practice course

Thembe leads the legal team at Whyte and Mackay Ltd providing strategic and operational advice specialising in commercial contracts, to support projects both in the UK and across international jurisdictions. Thembe advises on legal and compliance matters, identifying and managing legal risks to the company’s global distribution interests.  As well as dealing with the creation and implementation of legal best practice through training and learning development, her role provides advice on the variety of regulatory and governance issues that arise in a fast paced commercial environment. Thembe is a Commercial Contracts Tutor on the Glasgow University Diploma course, an experienced mentor for the Law Society of Scotland Mentoring Programme and Vice Convener and Committee Member of the In-House Lawyers Committee.

Karen Wiles is the Head of Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer at Aberdeenshire Council and a former President of SOLAR.  With a career within local government spanning 28 years and three councils - Grampian Regional Council, The Moray Council and her present post in Aberdeenshire,  Karen is passionate about good governance and the provision of excellent in-house legal services.  From a litigation background specialising in permanency, mental health, and education law through a flirtation with Licensing, she is now happy to be a generalist relying heavily on her Service teams of  specialist lawyers, committee services officers, Registrars and Developer Obligations experts.  

Norma Shippin joined the CLO as a Litigation Solicitor in 1984. She was appointed Managing Partner in 1995 and subsequently Director in 2013. She has over 30 years experience of providing litigation and employment law services to the NHS in Scotland. She has a special interest in medical negligence and has been accredited as a specialist in that field with the Law Society of Scotland for over 22 years. Her interests outside the office include playing the cello and baking – but not both at the same time!

Susan Williams currently works as a Best Practice Advisor at the SLCC, under secondment from an investigator’s role. She was admitted as an advocate shortly before fusion of the profession in Zimbabwe, and remains registered as a legal practitioner. She has over 15 years of experience working for regulators in the UK and elsewhere, including input (at different ends of a fifteen year period) in a regulatory, then a parliamentary role, on revision of rules and legislation governing the legal profession in South Africa. She has also been involved in parliamentary monitoring and research, and in educational projects at secondary, tertiary and professional levels.

Shareen is a dual qualified solicitor in Scotland and England. Having worked in private practice as a solicitor for several years in litigation and employment, Shareen first moved in-house in 2008, firstly as the Legal & Compliance Manager for the Student Loans Company and then as General Counsel and company secretary to an offshore renewable energy company based in Glasgow.   
Shareen is now the General Counsel for Johnston Carmichael LLP, Scotland’s largest independent firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers with over 800 staff and partners based across 12 offices. Their team of experts are trusted advisers offering detailed knowledge across 14 sectors with specialist expertise in a range of key business areas, from audit and tax to digital solutions and personal finance.

Shareen has a broad remit overseeing all legal, governance, risk and compliance matters for the firm.   She also sits as a Non-Executive Director of Citizens Advice Scotland and as a Non-Executive Director and Company Secretary of the Govan Community Project.  

Norma Shippin joined the CLO as a Litigation Solicitor in 1984. She was appointed Managing Partner in 1995 and subsequently Director in 2013. She has over 30 years experience of providing litigation and employment law services to the NHS in Scotland. She has a special interest in medical negligence and has been accredited as a specialist in that field with the Law Society of Scotland for over 22 years. Her interests outside the office include playing the cello and baking – but not both at the same time!

Andrew is a Director within the award-winning legal and privacy team at Skyscanner, where he also acts as the group’s Data Protection Officer.  Andrew advises Skyscanner on a broad range of multi-jurisdictional legal issues, with a particular focus on data protection, IP and issues arising around the intersection between law and technology.  Andrew sits as a committee member on the Law Society of Scotland’s Technology Law and Practice Committee.