Soprano lawyer once again looking forward to hitting the high notes at Creativity in the Law event

Lawyer and singer Xinhui Lai admits she will have a few nerves when she returns to perform at the popular ‘Creativity in the Law’ event next year.

The 32-year-old, a professional coloratura soprano, has previously taken to the stage at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow and performed as part of the supporting choir on Susan Boyle's 2014 Scotland tour.

Xinhui honed her talent after spending five years at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow where she completed a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in Classical Singing.

Despite previously entertaining audiences of thousands, Xinhui recalls how her first appearance at Creativity in the Law in 2024 was a little daunting.

She performed a range of songs, including Juliette’s aria "Je veux vivre" by Charles Gounod, from the opera Roméo et Juliette, and revealed: “The main hall in the Faculty has really good acoustics and is steeped in history, which makes it a good venue for singing. The audience was very quiet and respectful. Normally, when you are on stage it’s dark and you have a spotlight on you so you can’t see the audience.

“It was quite scary, seeing the audience up so close and their reactions. Seeing a few smiles helped to calm my nerves. I have a few special dresses for performing and it was nice to get dressed up for the event.”

Creativity in the Law 2027 is a unique opportunity for lawyers to share their creative talents. Set to be the biggest edition of the exhibition to date, the Faculty is now inviting submissions from creative legal professionals and law students across Scotland.

Xinhui learned to sing in six different languages - Italian, German, Russian, French English and Mandarin – and wowed the Faculty audience with her virtuosic singing. Xinhui is a coloratura soprano, a voice type known for elaborate ornamentation, exceptional agility and high notes. Coloratura passages require significant breath control and vocal precision, with rapid runs and leaps that can appear to defy the limitations of the human voice.

Xinhui said: “People are often surprised when I tell them I’m an opera singer. They tend to picture someone much bigger with a booming voice rather than someone like me. They can’t believe that I can sing so loudly. It’s nice to challenge the stereotype.

“There is a saying that audiences ‘pay for the high notes’, which means that a coloratura soprano must build and engage strong vocal support by controlling their breathing.

“At the Royal Conservatoire, we are taught basic pronunciation and dialogue which allows you to understand the words from other languages. You don’t have to be fluent. I remember someone saying to me after the performance that they understood my Italian, which was a nice compliment.

“Supporting Susan Boyle was great fun. I was with several of my classmates and we were on a bus going round the country. As a young 20-year-old it was my first public appearances in the UK and a fantastic experience.”

Xinhui, now an immigration lawyer in Glasgow with Angelov Solicitors, also writes her own songs which she will perform at Creativity in the Law 2027 in April.

She added: “I trained to a professional standard in classical singing, but I decided to pursue law as my main career rather than work full-time as a singer. Studying law opened up a different path for me, and I realised that legal knowledge could be used to support people through life-changing moments and important decisions.

“I still occasionally take part in events whether it’s for the Chinese New Year or the Faculty’s Creativity in the Law event.

“I also write my own songs, which allows me to express a different side of myself from my legal work. No doubt there will be a few butterfly nerves again, but I’m looking forward to performing one of my own songs and hopefully this will resonate with the audience.”

Open to both RFPG members and non-members, Creativity in the Law 2027 welcomes anyone working or studying in Scotland's legal sector who would like to share their creative talents.

Previous editions of the free-to-attend event have featured an impressive range of musicians, including acoustic singer-songwriters and string quartets.

They have been joined by photographers, painters, sculptors and even a games designers.

This year's event will also raise funds for Shelter, supporting the charity's vital work tackling homelessness and housing insecurity.

If you would like to get involved as an exhibitor, artist or performer, simply email library@rfpg.org to register your interest.