Former president of the Law Society of Scotland; Born July 4, 1933; Died July 18, 2008

Sandy McIlwain, who became president of the Law Society in 1983, has died after a three-year battle with myeloma. From the diagnosis until he died, he dealt with his illness with the gritty determination and faith with which he had lived his life.

Born in Aberdeen, he was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and thereafter at Aberdeen University where he graduated MA LLB. His potential for leadership was first demonstrated when he became President of the Students' Representative Council. It was the first of many positions of high office he held throughout his professional life. While at university, he helped with the student show and edited the student magazine, Gaudie. After graduating he undertook his National Service with The Royal Corps of Signals, rising to the rank of lieutenant.

In 1961 he married Moira and moved to Hamilton, where he was to practise law for the rest of his professional career, later becoming the senior partner of the firm of Teague Leonard and Muirhead, now known as Leonards. He also served for many years as burgh prosecutor and thereafter as district prosecutor.

Over the years he was elected dean of the Hamilton Faculty of Solicitors and was appointed an honorary sheriff for Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway.

Despite being a busy solicitor he felt the need to put something back into his chosen profession. He was elected the member of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland in 1974 for the burgh of Hamilton. He was quickly recognised as a person who knew about legal aid, its problems and its need for proper funding. It was not surprising that he became a member of the Legal Aid Committee and its associated Fees Committee. He very quickly became the convener of both committees.

He served on a Complaints Committee, which dealt with grievances made by the public against solicitors. He set and maintained high standards of professional competence for himself, which he used as a benchmark for others. Yet he was a solicitor's solicitor, fully understanding the problems which practitioners might experience. Many solicitors who turned to Sandy over the years were grateful for the advice and help he gave, for which he was greatly respected.

His colleagues on the Law Society Council recognised he was a leader and a good man to have at the helm in difficult times. The council elected him president of the society in 1983. This was a time of change and turmoil for the profession, with the recommendations of a Royal Commission being implemented by the government. A paper was published by the Scottish Office entitled Conveyancing by banks and building societies. Sandy accepted he was no conveyancer. He often said he had never done a piece of conveyancing for money. Yet he quickly grasped and understood the problems which faced the profession if the proposals were to be implemented. Almost single-handedly he wrote the society's response, which persuaded the Scottish Office not to proceed at that time.

When he retired from active practice with his firm, he became chairman of the Legal Aid Board, a member of the Central Advisory Committee for Scotland on Justices of the Peace and chairman of the Lanarkshire Scout Council. He was appointed a temporary sheriff and quickly became the president of their association. He also became a member of the Cameron Committee on Shrieval Training. He was a doyen of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, becoming a chairman and dealing with the most difficult and complicated cases. He was also a dedicated elder of Glasgow Cathedral.

He is survived by his wife, Moira, daughters Karen, Shona and Wendy, and his five grandchildren, of whom he was very proud. His mother, who is 104 years old, also survives him. By Kenneth Pritchard