Two stars shine as 2025’s In-house Rising Stars revealed

An early career solicitor at a global travel company and a trainee specialising in intellectual property and data protection have been crowned the Law Society of Scotland’s In-house Rising Stars.

This year’s winners of the prestigious competition for early career in-house talent are:

• Solicitor with up to 5 years PQE: Jamila Archibald, Senior Counsel at Trip.com Group
• 1^st or 2^nd year trainee: Euan Dover, trainee solicitor at Idox Plc.

Law Society President Susan Murray announced the winners on Thursday 1 May at the Law Society’s In-house Annual Conference, also congratulating the other nominees in a strong field: Nicholas Beach, Natalie Brooks, Sophie Brown, Laura Lee, Louise Malone and Eleanor Shaw.

Louise Malone, a solicitor at South Lanarkshire Council, was named the runner up in the “Solicitor with up to 5 years PQE” category, with the judging panel praising her for dealing with matters above her level of experience, whilst delivering a high quality service.

On announcing the winners, Susan Murray said: “Many congratulations Jamila and Euan. You’ve achieved so much in such a short space of time, so you should be very proud!

“Jamila, the panel were particularly impressed with your ability to deal with cross jurisdictional legal queries whilst taking on a busy workload. Your commitment to supporting the next generation of lawyers and developing wider DEI initiatives is admirable.

“I am delighted we’ve been able to spotlight our trainees this year with a new category. Euan, it is inspiring to see how committed you are to supporting your colleagues and improving workplace efficiencies. Working on such complex legal matters so early on is impressive!

“The competition repeatedly highlights how rewarding an in-house career can be and your careers are no exception to that. I wish you the best of luck for the future!”

On winning the award, Jamila Archibald said: “I’m truly honoured to receive the In-House Rising Star Award 2025. A heartfelt thank you to the panel and the Law Society for this incredible recognition. I’d also like to extend my congratulations to all the nominees for their remarkable achievements and contributions to the legal profession in Scotland.

“I feel very privileged to be part of such a supportive team at Trip.com, to work alongside talented colleagues around the world, and to contribute to exciting, varied, and innovative projects. I’m especially grateful to have a leader and mentor who empowers me, trusts my work, and inspires me every day.”

On winning the new category for 1^st or 2^nd year trainees, Euan Dover said: “I am thrilled to have been awarded the In-House Rising Star Award in the trainee category for 2025.

“I'm fortunate to work with a group of legal colleagues who provide excellent support and offer opportunities to engage in diverse and stimulating work. This award was definitely a personal highlight for me. It's fantastic be a part of the in-house community!”