Keynote Speaker 1 – Larysa Zhdankina

Larysa Zhdankina is a distinguished Ukrainian lawyer and academic, currently serving as a visiting academic at the University of Glasgow's School of Law. Larysa has also tutored at the University of Strathclyde on Public International Law, Human Rights, and Transitional Justice modules.

Larysa was an expert in the legal department of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and an Associate Professor at the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management in Kyiv. In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Larysa sought sanctuary in Scotland with her young daughter.

Since her arrival, she has actively engaged with the Scottish legal community, participating in lectures on various areas of Scottish and international law, shadowing legal professionals, and contributing to discussions on the rule of law in Ukraine.  Larysa’s extensive experience underscores the critical importance of the rule of law, especially in times of conflict.

As the conference theme focuses on the law school as a place for useful learning, her keynote gives a personal insight into how legal education can uphold these values. Larysa’s keynote opens the conference and will serve as a poignant reminder of the essential role that legal education plays in maintaining justice and societal stability.

Keynote Speaker 2 – Lindsay Jack

Lindsay Jack is the Head of Diversity, Careers, and Outreach at the Law Society of Scotland, where she leads efforts to improve access, diversity, and inclusion within the legal profession. She previously served in a variety of roles at Edinburgh Law School as Director of Student Experience, alongside taking on Office Bearer roles such as Disability Coordinator, and Director of Equality and Diversity.

Lindsay consistently champions underrepresented and marginalised students and has led pioneering outreach initiatives to widen participation in legal education. As a passionate advocate for social mobility, inclusion and widening participation, Lindsay is a Trustee of the LawScot Foundation and a Non-Executive Board Member of Disabling Barriers Scotland.

With over two decades of experience, she has worked with a wide range of audiences, from school pupils to senior legal professionals, and regularly speaks on equity, inclusion, and student access. Her leadership continues to drive meaningful change in Scotland’s legal sector, through admission to University itself and pathways into the legal profession.

We are delighted that Lindsay has accepted our invitation to act as a keynote speaker for the conference. Her keynote, ‘Allyship Through Amplification’ focuses on collaboration and partnerships in inclusion and widening access in legal education and is a positive message with which to close the conference.