Name Frank Maguire Role Solicitor | Died September 17, 2011 Education University of Aberdeen | |
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Occupation Solicitor, Managing partner Thompsons Known for Advocate and campaigner Title Solicitor of the Year 2010 | ||
Francis Thomas Maguire PHB (Philosophy, Magna Cum Laude), LLB, S.A., SSC, NP. (4 October 1955 – 17 September 2011) was an award-winning Scottish lawyer, joint managing partner of personal injury law firm, Thompsons Solicitors, a solicitor advocate and a campaigner for the victims of injustice.
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Early life
Maguire, the fourth of seven children, spent his early years in Castlemilk, Glasgow and originally had no intention of being a lawyer. His first choice of career was the priesthood, and he attended St Vincent’s College (Langbank) and St Mary’s College, Blairs, Aberdeen before studying philosophy and theology at the Pontificia Università Gregoriana in Rome, where he completed a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. Maguire then realised that he did not want to become a priest after all. He studied law at Aberdeen University instead, before joining Robin Thompson & Partners in Edinburgh as a trainee.
Career
Maguire remained with Robin Thompson & Partners, now known as Thompsons Solicitors, throughout his legal career. In 2006 he became joint managing partner of the firm and was instrumental in leading it to five consecutive legal awards between 2008 and 2011. Maguire was the recipient of one of these awards himself, being named Solicitor of the Year at The Firm Magazine’s Scottish Law Awards in 2010. He was admitted as a solicitor advocate in 1994. During his career Maguire represented miners during the miners’ strikes, victims of the Piper Alpha Disaster, haemophiliacs infected with Hepatitis C and HIV (instigating the Penrose Inquiry) and many victims of asbestos exposure He acted as solicitor advocate in several leading cases, in one fighting against the insurance industry Supreme Court challenge to the Damages (Scotland) (Asbestos-Related Conditions) Act 2009, and in another successfully arguing that the amount of damages awarded to the families of asbestos victims should be significantly increased. Maguire was also solicitor advocate in a series of cases that set a pattern for future damages awards to the immediate family of mesothelioma victims.
Campaigns
Maguire was both a well respected solicitor advocate and also a campaigner for the victims of injustice. The Herald newspaper described him as a ‘campaigning Glasgow lawyer’ and ‘champion of the rights of shipyard workers and trade unions' succeeded in bringing about several major changes in legislation, including:
Key cases
Personal life
Maguire was married to Fiona Macdonald from 1987 until his death. They had four children - Calum, Matthew, Luke and John. Maguire always had a keen interest in sport. He was a dedicated distance runner, played football for Spartans FC, became Scottish Windsurfing Champion and was a Master Yachtsman. Maguire was an avid reader with a keen interest in ancient history and astronomy. He particularly enjoyed reading, and writing, poetry and he also played the harmonica.