Bill Copeland is
a lawyer practising in Lanarkshire. Until recently he specialised in
criminal defence work but given the swingeing cuts in Legal
Aid, he has become a conveyancer as there is now more money in acting for
those buying houses than those burgling houses. Born in Govan, a quaint fishing village on the banks of
the Clyde, home to Sir Alex Ferguson and Billy Connolly, he attended
a tough school – tough? There was a boy in the class who was allergic
to peanuts and they used to take him round the back of the bike shed
and make him play Russian roulette with a packet of Revels. There he
learned the three R’s ….. Rangers and Rangers Reserves. Attended Alan Glen’s School, which was selective,
not doing too well as he selected to go only on Fridays. Left with 6
A Levels but was caught at the gate and made to return them to the Headmaster.
Studied at Strathclyde University, graduating B.A., LL.B. which his criminal
clients think stand for “buy us a lager and a large Bacardi”.
Married to Marilyn from Larkhall. It’s a mixed marriage, she’s
a human being and he’s a lawyer and dotes on his daughter 12½ (it’s
a daft name but Marilyn chose it). Hobbies? Plays a mean game of golf – won’t
pay the green fees. Bill’s ambition as a speaker is to follow his
grandfathers advice “Always leave them begging for more.” Which
was the very attitude that led to granddad being struck off as the world’s
worst anaesthetist.
Has been on the circuit for several years and have spoken
at dinners for 70 to 700, and am a regular with all of the major Scottish
usual suspects such as George McNeil, Craigie Veitch, Andy Cameron, Willie
Allan, Willie Hunter, John Gahagan, John McKelvie, Chick Young and Dougie
Donnelly and the sportsmen Jim Leishman, Alan Rough, Murdo McLeod, Brian
McGinlay, Willie Young, Sir Bobby Charlton, Jack Charlton, Denis Taylor,
Jim Watt, Tommy Docherty and Ian St John. On a more serious note Dr
John Reid, Sir George Younger, Alex Salmond and Robin Cook
Corporate Dinners - RB of S,
Bank of Scotland, Auto Trader, Reg Vardy ,B.M.W, Bett Homes, Persimmon
Homes, Trinity, Ernst & Young, Scottish Universal News
In December 2003 at the invitation of Total Oil twice entertained the workforce
on North Sea oil rigs 90 miles from the Norwegian coast.
Various Trade Associations e.g. Institute of Chartered Accountants,
Institute of Master Plumbers, Institute of Waste Management, Scottish
Property Managers. The Legal dinners of Glasgow, Aberdeen Edinburgh,
Paisley, Stirling. Edinburgh High Constables Dinner COSLA
Football Clubs - Aberdeen, Alloa, Celtic,Clyde, Dundee United,
Dunfermline, Falkirk, Hamilton Accies, Inverness, Motherwell, Partick
Thistle Queen of the South, Rangers Stenhousemuir, Referees Associations
throughout Scotland. Also Highland League, Junior and Amateur clubs
dinners
Golf Clubs - From the prestigious The New Club, St. Andrews
to Municipal owned clubs. Have spoken at company Golf days at St Andrews
Bay, Turnberry, Gleneagles etc for Actuaries to Zoologists.
Rotary Clubs- Charter and other dinners from Berwick to Wick
Rugby Clubs - Posh to proleterian
Government Bodies - Scottish Enterprise,
Scottish Heritage, L.D.A and several Enterprise Trusts
St Columba’s Hospice won Wits Dinner 1999, Quarriers Homes, Wooden Spoon,
The Scottish Licensed trade Benevolent Fund “The Ben”, St Andrew’s
and St. Margaret’s hospices, The Maggie and Chas Respite centres are
a few of the Charity dinners addressed
Bill has also guested on Radio Scotland’s
early morning topical news and chat programme “The Fred McAulay
Show.”
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