The phrase "Get me Beltrami" became a common call in Glasgow after Mr Beltrami successfully defended Glasgow godfather Arthur Thompson on numerous occasions during the 1980s. He also won 12 cases where the death penalty was a possible outcome. He was also involved in securing two Royal Pardons.

History

Fellow criminal lawyer Aamer Anwar said: 'Joe Beltrami was the last of the legends in Scots Law. Beltrami became the name to aspire to for young criminal lawyers long before our chosen field was ever considered attractive. Big Joe — or Mr Beltrami, as many of us called him — was respected and feared by the good and the bad as a lawyer full of integrity and passion. He made history...' Thomas Ross, president of the Scottish Criminal Bar Association, said: 'Perhaps the first lawyer in Scotland to specialise in criminal law, he laid the path for all of us to follow.' 

Legacy

He leaves a legal legacy with two of his three sons - Adrian, a commercial law QC and Jason, a Glasgow lawyer. Source: STV News