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24-578: The ELN was founded as part of a project by the Nuclear Security Project in an effort to "help create the political space for dialogue, education and action on the vision and steps toward a world without nuclear weapons". At the end of 2013 the ELN broadened its focus and remit of work to address a much wider range of foreign and security policy challenges facing Europe. The ELN is currently chaired by former UK Defence Secretary Des Browne and

48-809: A majority of 7,256. He made his maiden speech on 20 June 1997. Browne joined the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee on his election, and became the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Secretary of State for Scotland Donald Dewar in 1998. After Dewar left the Cabinet in 1999, to seek election as the First Minister of Scotland , Browne remained in post as PPS to the new Secretary of State John Reid . In 2000 he became

72-895: A member of the European Leadership Network, publicly questioned Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the findings of the ELN report. In May 2015, 68 members of the European Leadership Members signed a global statement in support of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty ahead of its Review Conference in New York. The statement was also signed by senior figures from Latin America, the United States and Asia-Pacific. The European Leadership Network administers

96-589: A network of former European political, military, and diplomatic leaders and supports this network with in-house research and events. The network itself contains members not just from the EU but also Russia , Ukraine , Turkey , Georgia , Albania , Norway , and Serbia . Such a scope has as its basis a conception of a Greater Europe similar to that of the OSCE . In 2014 the European Leadership Network has expanded to tackle broader European and global security issues, including

120-462: Is a Fellow Commoner of St Catharine's College, Cambridge . Browne is vice chairman of the Washington, DC–based Nuclear Threat Initiative, a non-profit, nonpartisan organisation founded in 2001 by former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, who serves as co-chair and CEO, and CNN founder and philanthropist Ted Turner . NTI's mission is to strengthen global security by reducing the risk of use and preventing

144-578: Is developed by teams in external relations and education, training and qualifications. The work of the Society is supported by solicitors and non-solicitors who contribute their time and expertise through many committees and working groups. From 2012 to 2014, the Society went through a process to reform its structures and governance. Some new committees and the Management Board were established as part of this governance reform. A consultation on

168-559: Is directed by Sir Adam Thomson. In March 2015, Lord Browne and former Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov , both won the prestigious Nunn-Lugar Award for Promoting Nuclear Security, in part for their work with the European Leadership Network. The ELN specialises on security issues. On 27 March 2015, the Carnegie Corporation of New York announced that it was funding the European Leadership Network for 24 months, as part of its philanthropic efforts. The ELN operates through

192-452: Is the professional governing body for Scottish solicitors . Its goal is to promote excellence among solicitors through the support and regulation of its members. It is also committed to promoting the interests of the public in relation to the profession. The Society seeks to contribute to the shaping of the law for the benefit of both the public and the profession. The Society was established by statute in 1949 and its rules are set out in

216-762: The Home Office in 2004 as the minister with responsibility for immigration . He joined the Cabinet following the 2005 general election as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury , and became a member of the Privy Council . Browne was appointed Secretary of State for Defence on 5 May 2006. An advocate of the UK Trident programme , in 2007 he successfully persuaded Parliament to vote to replace Trident. He came under criticism, however, after allowing

240-807: The Labour Party , he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Kilmarnock and Loudoun from 1997 to 2010 . Browne was born in Boglemart, Stevenston, North Ayrshire , lived in Stevenston for the early part of his life, and was educated at the Catholic St Michael's Academy in Kilwinning and later at the University of Glasgow , where he received a degree in law . He started his legal career in 1974 as an apprentice solicitor with

264-653: The Royal Navy personnel captured by Iran in spring 2007 to sell and publish their stories. Under Blair's premiership, Browne was considered a supporter of the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown . He received the additional responsibilities of Secretary of State for Scotland in June 2007 after Brown became prime minister. In a free parliamentary vote on 20 May 2008, Browne voted for cutting

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288-757: The Society of Writers to His Majesty's Signet (WS Society) was formally established in 1594 and the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow was incorporated before 1668. As the legal profession expanded in line with the volume of legislation introduced in the twentieth century, it became clear that a representative body for all solicitors was needed along with reform of the informal system of lawyers voluntarily providing legal services to those who could not afford representation, which had existed since 1424. The Legal Aid and Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1949 established

312-626: The Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (TLG) Des Browne Desmond Henry Browne, Baron Browne of Ladyton , PC (born 22 March 1952) is a Scottish politician who served in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown as Secretary of State for Defence 2006 to 2008 and Secretary of State for Scotland from 2007 to 2008. A member of

336-466: The parliamentary seat of Argyll and Bute at the 1992 general election , and finished in fourth place behind the sitting Liberal Democrat MP Ray Michie . He was elected to the Faculty of Advocates in 1993. Browne was selected to contest the safe Labour seat of Kilmarnock and Loudoun following the retirement of the sitting MP William McKelvey . Browne won the seat at the 1997 general election with

360-590: The Ebola crisis, near-misses between Russian and Western militaries, and the expanding Russo-Chinese relationship A report published by the European Leadership Network in 2015, title Dangerous Brinkmanship: closer military encounters between Russia and the West in 2015 generated considerable attention around the world. At the 2015 Munich Security Conference in February 2015, conference chairman Wolfgang Ischinger , also

384-524: The Law Society of Scotland as the governing body for solicitors at the same time as it laid the foundation of the modern legal aid and assistance scheme. Solicitors elect representatives to sit on the Society's Council, the ruling body. The council has overall responsibility for strategy and policy. The work of the council is supported by the Management Board, which draws members from the Council and

408-671: The PPS to the Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office . On 27 November 2009, Browne announced his intention not to seek election in the 2010 general election . After the 2001 general election Browne entered Tony Blair 's government as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office . He was promoted to Minister of State for Work in 2003, before moving to

432-413: The Society's executive staff. This is the principal decision-making team at the Society. The Society's president and the vice president hold office for one year. The current president is Sheila Webster, while Susan Murray is the vice president. The other office bearers are the treasurer and immediate past president, Graham Watson and Murray Etherington respectively. The chief executive is responsible for

456-681: The Solicitors ( Scotland ) Act 1980. All practising solicitors, currently around 13,000, are members. The Society is funded by its members and has an annual budget of almost £8 million. Lawyers in Scotland have been organised in professional bodies since at least the sixteenth century. The Faculty of Advocates was established as the body for practising advocates in 1532, though its origins are thought to date from even earlier. Other lawyers were represented by associations and faculties of procurators and solicitors . Among those that still exist,

480-400: The day-to-day operations of the Society, working with a staff of approximately 120. The current chief executive is Diane McGiffen. Most of the Society's departments are grouped in five main areas of work: regulation and standards; member services and engagement; education, training and qualifications; external relations; finance and operations. Other departments work within those areas. Policy

504-672: The elimination of all nuclear weapons worldwide. In February 2009, Browne was appointed by PM Brown as the government's special envoy to Sri Lanka . However, the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa , fighting the LTTE rebel group, rejected Browne's appointment, stating that the British government made the appointment unilaterally, without consultation with the Sri Lankan government. Law Society of Scotland The Law Society of Scotland ( Scottish Gaelic : Comann Lagh na h-Alba )

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528-598: The firm James Campbell & Co. On qualifying in 1976 he became an assistant solicitor with Ross, Harper and Murphy, and was promoted to partner in 1980. He became a partner in McCluskey Browne in 1985, and was a council member of the Law Society of Scotland from 1988 to 1992. He was admitted as an advocate in 1993, practising at the Scottish bar until 1997. He worked mainly in child law. Browne contested

552-470: The spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Browne is convener of the European Leadership Network for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation. and he is also convenor of the Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation , established in October 2009. He is a signatory of Global Zero , a non-profit international initiative for

576-531: The upper limit for abortions from 24 to 12 weeks, along with two other Catholic cabinet ministers, Ruth Kelly and Paul Murphy . He returned to the backbenches in October 2008 following a cabinet reshuffle. Browne gave evidence to the Iraq Inquiry on 25 January 2010. He was created a life peer on 22 July 2010, taking the title Baron Browne of Ladyton , of Ladyton in Ayrshire and Arran . He

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