SEMLA’s achievements were recognised when it received a commendation at the Law Awards of Scotland 2019 in the CSR Award category. Further, Liam Kerr MSP lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament commending SEMLA’s work on 28 November 2018.
The motion read: “That the Parliament welcomes the creation of the Lord Hope of Craighead Scholarship by the Faculty of Advocates; understands that the scholarship was unveiled at the first anniversary of the Scottish Ethnic Minorities Lawyers Association (SEMLA), which focuses on the mentoring, networking and support of ethnic minority lawyers in Scotland; recognises that the scholarship, named after one of the Faculty’s most celebrated figures, is funded by a voluntary levy on the earnings of practicing members of the faculty; acknowledges that the funding is aimed primarily at assisting devils, also known as trainee advocates, during their nine-month training period; believes that both SEMLA and the Lord Hope of Craighead Scholarship are crucial in creating a more diverse and representative legal profession in Scotland, and wishes the two innovative initiatives every success in the future.”