The University of Glasgow, in partnership with the National Trust for Scotland and law firm McGrigors LLP have launched a prestigious annual competition for environmental law students.

The prize is given in honour of the lawyer, the late Colin Donald, who had a distinguished association with the Trust, McGrigors LLP and the University, spanning a period of four decades.

Colin Donald was a highly influential figure in the Trust, producing a report on governance which heralded a real period of change and modernisation for the organisation in the 1990s. He gained his Scottish legal qualifications at the  University of Glasgow after originally reading law at Goville and Caius College, Cambridge and continued to be associated with the University for many years. Colin also spent almost his entire career at McGrigors, practising family law for more than 30 years.

The competition is the first of its kind the Trust has embarked upon and confirms the charity’s deep commitment to and involvement in the environment in Scotland.

Professor Tom Mullen, head of the University of Glasgow's School of Law said: “Environmental law has never been so important. The world faces many daunting environmental challenges both local and global from many forms of pollution, deforestation, water shortages and the overarching threat of global warming.

“Ultimately the solution lies in people changing their behaviour and finding more environment-friendly ways of living , but better laws which are properly enforced have an important role to play

“We are delighted to be associated with this prestigious prize.

“Colin Donald was one of out most distinguished former students and a great friend of the University of Glasgow. This is a fitting tribute to a man who was always keenly interested in the education of the lawyers of the future.

“We are sure the competition will stimulate great interest in the environmental law field and it is the ideal way of bringing together Colin's links with the University of Glasgow and the National Trust for Scotland"

Colin Donald served on the University’s Court and was chairman of the Adam Smith Club for a decade.

Chairman of the National Trust for Scotland, Shonaig Macpherson, said, “We are honouring a very special man in the late Colin Donald and it is fitting that this environmental law prize has been created in his honour. Having known Colin both as the Trust’s Vice President and as a colleague at McGrigors, I am struck by the breadth of his contribution to society in Scotland.

“I’m sure Colin would have been pleased that we have chosen to remember him by creating this very special opportunity for a budding environmental law student to gain valuable experience with the Trust and McGrigors. “

The essay competition is open to all environmental law students in Scotland and entrants are asked to write an essay on the topic: A well known environmental slogan is “Think global, act local.” What is the role of law in linking the local, regional and global dimensions of the response to climate change?

Alternatively, environmental law applicants or their universities can submit a recent relevant essay or dissertation for consideration.

The deadline for entries is Friday 30 May 2008 and essays should be sent to Professor Tom Mullen, School of Law, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ or by email to t.mullen@law.gla.ac.uk.

Submissions will be judged by an expert panel this summer and announced by the National Trust for Scotland on 27 September. The panel consists of Shonaig Macpherson, Chairman of the National Trust for Scotland, Professor Kenneth Ross of the University of Glasgow , Professor Colin Reid of the University of Dundee and Jennifer Ballantyne of McGrigors LLP.

The winning student will be offered summer placements in 2009 with both the National Trust for Scotland and McGrigors LLP.

First published: 14 February 2008

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