60 seconds with... the chair of the audit committee

Fiona Larg is a retired chartered accountant. She has been a lay member of Council since 2017 and is Chair of the Audit Committee.

Tell us a bit about your career so far

I trained as a chartered accountant with what is now EY in their Glasgow office. Shortly after qualifying, I moved back to the Highlands where I’m from to join the Highlands and Islands Development Board. When that organisation became Highlands and Islands Enterprise in 1991, I headed up Inverness & Nairn Enterprise, one of 10 local enterprise companies in the region. After 6 years I moved to Cap Gemini and then to United Utilities to run business process outsourcing contracts. These contracts were as varied as collecting parking fines for London boroughs to running the accounting teams for global companies in several languages. I joined what is now the University of the Highlands and Islands in 2007 – an interesting period leading up to it being awarded its university title in 2011. I retired from my role as Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary there in 2021.

As a chartered accountant and lay member, why did you decide to get involved with the work of the Law Society?

As a chartered accountant, I was interested in understanding how other professional membership and regulatory bodies operate. As I worked extensively with solicitors in my university role, the Law Society was an obvious choice. I have learned a lot from being a non-executive on Council as I spent many years servicing boards and committees from an executive perspective.

What has been a personal highlight for you?

Odd as it may seem, becoming chair of the Society’s Audit Committee was the highlight. As an accountant and steeped in corporate governance, I felt that I could make a significant contribution to the work of the Society by taking on this role. Working on a committee gives you a much greater insight into the work of the Society than attending Council meetings.

What advice would you give to someone who does not come from a legal background but wishes to join Council or one of the Society’s committees?

Lay membership of the Law Society Council is an important function. It ensures a breadth of perspective and a ‘lay’ view, which may be very different from a purely legal perspective. The lay members on Council and committees come from all walks of life and can use their experience and expertise to constructively challenge solicitor members in discussions. You learn a lot about how the Society works and the challenges of running a membership organisation when that body is also responsible for regulation of the profession. The Society does this very effectively by having a separation of these functions but with regular reporting to ensure that processes are working effectively.

Has your perception of the Society changed since you joined Council?

Yes – I now have a much better understanding of how the Society functions internally and how it works closely with government and wider society in Scotland and internationally to ensure that the rule of law is independent and upheld.

What keeps you busy outside of work?

I have happily retired from full-time employment. While I have some non-executive roles, I greatly enjoy having lots of time to travel now. Instead of being limited to a maximum of three weeks’ holiday, I was able to go to Australia and New Zealand for five months last year. With everyone now used to video conferencing, I was still able to attend meetings as required, even if some were at odd hours of the night!

The Law Society currently has a range of volunteering opportunities available for lay members, solicitors and/or conveners. Applications close on 5 March.