THE son of an Alloa minister will start his role as the procurator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly tomorrow.

Jonathan Brodie KC, of Arnot Manderson Advocates, will be taking up the role on June 1, 45 years after he first attended the General Assembly.

His father, the Very Rev Dr Peter Brodie who was minister of St Mungo's Parish Church in Alloa, had been the moderator back then in 1978.

Mr Brodie will be the 26th holder of the post, which dates back to 1638.

He said: “The church has been blessed by a truly distinguished line of procurators, including Laura Dunlop KC who is stepping down.

"That is daunting but I am deeply grateful to the church for its trust.

"I have been deeply touched by the good wishes and warmth expressed toward me on this appointment.

"The church has provided me with a literal and spiritual home.

"I hope I may be able to help by providing clear and sound legal advice in support of its greater work."

The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Church of Scotland with commissioners examining the work and laws of the church while making decisions about its future.

Mr Brodie first attended in 1978 when his father was moderator and thereafter every opening and closing session until the mid-1990s, attending a "fair few" debates in between.

“That imbued in me a deep sense of the church at work and the power and grace of its debates," he explained.

"It also gave me an insight into the role of procurator at an unusually young age."

Mr Brodie was called to the Scottish Bar as an Advocate in 1994 and became a QC (now KC) in 2009.

He has extensive, evidentiary and appellate advocacy experience in the Court of Session, High Court and Supreme Court as well as various tribunals and inquiries.

His areas of practice cover and have covered personal injuries, professional negligence, public and administrative law, planning and conservation, crime, including regulatory, financial and health and safety.

Mr Brodie added: "I have been lucky to cover a range of legal topics in my work, but part of the thrill of being appointed procurator is the breadth of topics that role can involve.

“It is a real treat for a lawyer, although also a potential trap."

Attached to Arnot Manderson Advocates in Edinburgh, Mr Brodie will start his new role on June 1.