TANQ Seminar - Psychology and the Law

Psychology and the Law

How psychology can affect the decisions people make and how this in turn affects the law and the importance of it.

The TANQ Society is delighted to put on a seminar delivered by three speakers who designed the Law Society accredited Trauma Aware course which just won the Herald Law Awards prize for Innovation In The Law 2022. 

Speakers: 

Melissa Rutherford (Director, Rutherford Sheridan)

Nadine Martin (Partner, Gibson Kerr)

Kirsty Giles (Psychotherapist, Project Manager - Scottish Violence Reduction Unit) 

Iain Smith (Partner, Keegan Smith)

Melissa Rutherford

​​​Melissa qualified as a solicitor in 2010. She trained at a firm focussing on criminal defence and immigration. She moved to one of Scotland's largest legal aid firms in 2013 and managed the criminal department there whilst still maintaining an interest in asylum and immigration. She appears regularly at Sheriff Court level and also instructs Counsel at the High Court. In addition, Melissa has experience of family law, conducting proofs at the sheriff court, along with representing clients at children's referral proceedings, particularly representing children.

Nadine Martin

Nadine has an established practice which encompasses all areas of family law and child law, including separation, divorce, financial provision, cohabitation, residence and contact disputes and relocation of children. An experienced mediator, Nadine works with families and couples to resolve financial and child issues in a collaborative way. 

Iain Smith

Iain specialises in Criminal Law. His career as a solicitor started in 1993 and 5 years later he formed Keegan Smith with Jim Keegan QC. Iain is actively involved in creating a fairer criminal justice system and is the leading trauma informed lawyer in Scotland. He is a core group member of West Lothian Adverse Childhood Experiences Hub and a Trustee of the charity Aid & Abet, who try to assist people get out of the cycle of offending. Iain was the winner of Scottish Lawyer of the Year Legal Award 2020 and was runner up in the Herald Awards for Solicitor of the Year 2019.