News

Response To Conduct Of Brian McConnachie QC

This statement is in response to comments made by Brian McConnachie QC revealed in the Daily Record today.

“This situation and the unacceptable comments directed towards our Chief Executive expose a culture of misogyny amongst some members of the Faculty of Advocates and lay bare an environment where entitled, arrogant attitudes and behaviours are clearly present.

We have engaged in good faith with members of the Faculty to try to find common ground to improve the protections and rights of complainers of sexual crimes. For senior members of the Faculty to discuss our staff in such a sexist and demeaning way is deplorable.

Sexist attitudes like these should have no place within the legal profession. If senior QCs are comfortable conversing about someone they have held a professional external relationship with then this raises serious concerns about how they will behave towards other women they encounter, including women entering the profession, or women that they cross examine in sexual offence cases.

We are calling on the Faculty and other legal professional bodies on Scotland to commit to taking urgent action to address the misogynistic attitudes which clearly exist within the profession.” - Spokesperson for Rape Crisis Scotland