About Us
Our team are advocates for disability inclusion in the Scottish Legal Profession and have a wealth of personal experience of the barriers preventing access to or occurring within the Scottish Legal Profession. Please reach out to any of our team members to discuss opportunities, connect or get involved!
FOUNDERS
“We are called Disabling Barriers because we are a team that focus on dismantling the barriers that prevent a person from accessing or sustaining a career in the Scottish legal profession, rather than people’s individual health conditions.”
Fraser and Tom first met through a shared difficulty of accessing similar support available to students and solicitors in England & Wales. To date they have encountered many students who have faced similar difficulties and share a determination to ensure that equal opportunities exist for those who wish to pursue a legal career in Scotland.
Fraser Mackay
Recently appointed to the Law Society of Scotland Equality & Diversity Committee and regularly engages in outreach across the profession. Having been diagnosed with Dyspraxia at age 11 and being the first in his family to attend University, Fraser sought support when entering the Scottish legal profession. Following a conversation with the Law Society of Scotland, he found that while England & Wales had many groups to support aspiring solicitors who have a disability/neurodivergence, Scotland had no equivalent support.
Tom McGovern
Tom is a criminal defence lawyer at McGovern Reid Court Lawyers. Having disclosed his Dyslexia during a court hearing, Tom was featured in a BBC News interview about his experience of the legal profession. Tom was diagnosed with Dyslexia at the age of seven and received assistance throughout school and University. Tom offers work experience placements to those interested in a career in Criminal law, should you be interested in this opportunity please contact him directly at t.mcgovern@dbscotland.org
TRUSTEES
Dr Rachael Wallace
Current Issues
Rachael has featured on BBC interviews, is a highly regarded speaker, and has featured on podcasts including for Hey Legal News. Dr Wallace, is our expert in understanding the barriers preventing the legal profession from becoming inclusive. Lecturer at the University of Dundee with a doctorate in ‘The Scottish Legal Profession and Reasonable Adjustments’. Member of the Law Society of Scotland’s Equality Law Committee.
Matthew Simpson
Education
Oversees development of programs for mentorship and career development for supporting aspiring solicitors. Recent graduate from University of Edinburgh and Legal Trainee at abrdn plc. Became involved with DBS after being diagnosed with ADHD in final year of LLB studies.
Currently Recruiting
Treasurer
If you are interested in this opportunity please contact – contactus@dbscotland.org
Alan Sinclair
Firm Engagement
Oversees our interaction with legal firms and enables our corporate members to engage with our community. Partner at Addleshaw Goddard specialising in Commercial Litigation and an ambassador for Dyslexia Scotland. Has written for the Herald ‘the writing is on the wall for stigma over Dyslexia’ and for Scottish Legal News.
our team
NON-EXECUTIVE BOARD
Colette Burden
Governance Team
Senior Knowledge Lawyer at Addleshaw Goddard supporting the Scottish Real Estate Team. Before becoming a solicitor, Colette worked in the charity sector managing a charity which placed volunteers into a variety of local projects.
Dhana McIver
Current Issues Team
Private Client Solicitor and Disability Officer for Balfour + Manson LLP. Dhana is profoundly deaf, wearing hearing aids in both ears and a lip reader. Advocate for deaf awareness and working to increase inclusion in the legal profession.
Lindsay Jack
Education Team
Law Society’s Head of Diversity, Careers, and Outreach, and joined in June 2024 from Edinburgh Law School where she was Director of Student Experience. Lindsay is an award-winning equity and inclusion practitioner with over 20 years’ experience in widening participation.
Danielle Connell-Grant
Data Protection Champion
Senior Associate within the EMEA Privacy Team at Cognizant and dual-qualified practicing solicitor. Danielle obtained her Masters in Law from the University of Glasgow specialising in Intellectual Property & the Digital Economy.
Paul Mosson
Legal Firm Engagement
VOLUNTEERS
Louisa Richardson
Media Team
Is in her 3rd year of studying the LLB at Glasgow Caledonian University, and is interested in employment and equality law, specifically relating to disability. Louisa became a member of Disabling Barriers in 2022 and in the last year has had a lead role in media work for the charity. Louisa was diagnosed with Type 1 Narcolepsy in her late teens. The sleep disorder impacts her day to day life but she doesn’t let it stop her from achieving her goals.
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