Dual qualification for social housing solicitor
An expert social housing solicitor from leading law firm Shakespeare Martineau has become dual qualified, adding Scottish solicitor to his existing England and Wales law qualification.
Ellis Pugh advises social housing providers, charities, social enterprises and other not-for-profit and for-profit organisations on matters including corporate governance, mergers, restructuring, collaborative working, and regulatory compliance.
As a qualified solicitor in England and Wales, Ellis completed seven examinations to pass the Law Society of Scotland’s Qualified Lawyers Assessment over two years. After applying for admission to the Roll of Solicitors, he is now able to practise as a solicitor in Scotland and advise registered providers across both jurisdictions, with a focus on corporate governance, regulatory and charity law.
Ellis said: ‘I am now excited to develop my knowledge of Scottish charity, social housing and not-for-profit law so I can better assist our existing clients and help the firm reach out to other potential clients. I enjoyed meeting colleagues in our Edinburgh hub and look forward to seeing how we can take advantage of any opportunities to develop the practice and collaborate.’
Louise Drew, head of building communities at Shakespeare Martineau, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled that Ellis has passed his examinations and is now qualified to practise in both England and Scotland. This will be a huge benefit to our social housing clients as he can now seamlessly transact in both jurisdictions—saving them valuable time and money.’
In February this year, Shakespeare Martineau expanded its footprint in Scotland after taking additional space to accommodate its growing team in Edinburgh.
