ONE of Scotland's most respected and tenacious lawyers, who is known as The Rottweiler in court, has been unveiled as the new chair of the Scottish Conservatives.
Richard Keen QC, currently Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, and reputedly the highest paid member of the Scottish Bar, will take up the post in the New Year.
The 59-year-old was the personal choice of Scottish leader Ruth Davidson, and endorsed by Prime Minister David Cameron.
Second only to Ms Davidson in the Scottish Tory hierarchy, Mr Keen will now chair the party's management board, develop political strategy, liaise with the UK Conservatives, and help improve the Scottish operation ahead of Westminster and Holyrood elections.
Described by peers as a brilliant legal operator, with a reputation for mastering the most complex material, Mr Keen was called to the bar in 1980 and became a QC in 1993. He practises in both Scotland and England.
A counsel at the Piper Alpha inquiry, he went on to lead the defence of Al Amin Khalifa Fhima, the Libyan acquitted of blowing up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie.
Mr Keen also briefly represented Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan in his 2006 defamation action against the News of the World, before Mr Sheridan sacked his entire legal team.
He has since been hired by Andy Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World, who has been charged in Scotland with perjury.
Elected Dean of the Faculty of Advocates in 2007, Mr Keen last night stressed he would not seek re-election as Dean in January in order to avoid a clash with his new role.
He said he was not taking the referendum for granted, but expected a realignment of Scottish politics after a No vote, with voters more ready to give the Conservatives a hearing.
He said of his role: "I think it's going to be challenging. No one would doubt that.
"There's a degree in some quarters of antagonism towards the Conservative Party, but our achievements have been considerable.
"We have got to reconnect with those in Scotland who are conservative with a small c, who see that we can improve our offering on the economy and on education."
A fellow QC said the Tories had secured a star: "He's definitely a catch. He's rated almost as highly by his colleagues as he is by himself."
Born in Sussex, but educated at Dollar Academy and Edinburgh University, Mr Keen succeeds Scotland's only Conservative MP, David Mundell.
Mr Mundell was appointed interim chair two years ago. However, the party subsequently struggled to find a full-time figurehead.
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