News
8 September, 2021
Trio of Ampersand Advocates amongst new Queen’s Counsel announced
Congratulations to Ampersand’s Graeme Hawkes QC, Archie MacSporran QC and Laura-Anne van der Westhuizen QC on taking silk. Graeme, Archie and Laura-Anne are amongst twelve new silks announced today, appointed by Her Majesty the Queen on the recommendation of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Graeme Hawkes QC is an experienced commercial litigator, with a particular emphasis on commercial contracts, property and professional negligence. He also has a public law practice, having been a standing junior to the Scottish Government (2005-11) and regularly appearing in extradition cases on behalf of the Lord Advocate (including 2 Supreme Court appeals).
Archie MacSporran QC has a broad experience in civil litigation, having called to the Bar in 1992, and specialises in high value, complicated medical negligence cases in the Court of Session. He has acquired very considerable experience in cerebral palsy and other brain injury cases.
Laura-Anne van der Westhuizen QC has a civil practice with particular emphasis on commercial law, planning and environmental law and public law. Since calling to the bar in 2009 Laura-Anne has been instructed in a variety of general commercial matters including company and insolvency matters, contractual disputes and shipping matters. She has been instructed for developers and local authorities in planning disputes, for interested parties in fatal accident and public inquiries, and in relation to judicial reviews. Before calling to the Scottish bar she practised as an advocate in South Africa from 2002 and continues to hold membership at the Cape Bar. She called to the bar of England and Wales in 2008.
The rank of Queen’s Counsel is generally reserved for those who have distinguished themselves in practice in the Supreme Courts. Advocates and Solicitors with Rights of Audience in the Supreme Courts are eligible to apply to the Lord Justice General, Scotland’s senior judge. Before making nominations to the First Minister, the Lord Justice General consults other judges, the Lord Advocate, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates and the President of the Law Society of Scotland.
Stable Director, Susanne Tanner QC said: “I warmly congratulate Graeme, Archie and Laura-Anne on their appointments as Queen’s Counsel. I know that they will all thoroughly enjoy practice at the senior Bar. Their appointments increase the number of Ampersand silks to 28, offering services across all of our key practice areas.”
The full list of new silks can be found on the Judiciary of Scotland website here.