Shelter Scotland appoints principal solicitor

Shelter Scotland, the housing and homelessness charity, has appointed Fiona McPhail as its new principal solicitor.

Ms McPhail has worked for the Shelter Housing Law Service since 2014, after training and beginning her career as a qualified solicitor with Legal Services Agency, Glasgow.

Her aim is to develop a human rights-based approach to housing law, which recognises the home as much more than a roof over a person’s head.

She commented: “I’m delighted to be taking the helm of the expert and talented Shelter Scotland legal team at what is a very challenging time for us as a housing and homelessness charity and the clients we represent.

“It is also a time of seismic change for housing lawyers with wholescale reform of private rented sector tenancies, the transfer of private rented sector cases to the First-tier Tribunal and the introduction of a case management system to deal with social rented sector evictions. With a reported 25% increase in social rented sector evictions in the last two years, access to justice for those at risk of homelessness is crucial.”

Ms McPhail said she was particularly concerned at the number of homeless people who appeared to be falling through the housing safety net. Shelter would be working hard to ensure their rights to assistance and accommodation were upheld "as provided for under Scotland’s progressive homeless legislative framework”.