News
9 October, 2024
Ampersand Advocates Welcomes Joanna Cherry KC
Ampersand Advocates is thrilled to announce the return of Joanna Cherry KC to practice at the Scottish bar. Joanna, a distinguished advocate with a remarkable career spanning law and politics, is joining Ampersand Advocates. She brings with her a wealth of experience in human rights, public law, criminal law, constitutional matters, medical-legal matters and in fatal accident inquiries.
Called to the bar in 1995 and taking silk in 2009, Ms. Cherry has established herself as a formidable presence in the legal world. Her extensive experience includes serving as a standing Junior to the Scottish Government and as an advocate depute. Prior to her political career, she built a successful appellate practice, regularly appearing before the UK Supreme Court as well as handling complex medical-legal cases and fatal accident inquiries.
Joanna served as the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South West from 2015 to 2024. During that time, she was the front bench spokesperson for her party on justice and home affairs from 2015 to 2021. Thereafter she chaired parliament’s influential Joint Committee on Human Rights .
Her parliamentary tenure was marked by significant legal achievements, including her involvement in high-profile constitutional litigation that took her to both the European Court of Justice and the UK Supreme Court. Notably, she led the Scottish litigation that resulted in Boris Johnson’s prorogation of Parliament being ruled unlawful.
Joanna’s exceptional work has been widely recognised. She was awarded the Herald’s “Best Scot at Westminster” in 2019 and Holyrood magazine’s equivalent award in 2021. She is also an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple. The Legal 500 have recognised her as a leading silk in the criminal field and in personal injury, medical negligence and professional negligence where she was described as ‘Fearless in her pursuit of a satisfactory outcome for the client.’
Ampersand’s Practice Manager, Alan Moffat, expressed enthusiasm about Joanna joining the Stable: “We are delighted to welcome Joanna to Ampersand. Her expertise in human rights and public law, combined with her recent experience in high-level constitutional matters, along with her medical and FAI experience, will be an invaluable asset to our stable. Joanna’s addition reinforces our commitment to providing the highest caliber of legal representation to those instructing counsel.”
Ampersand is a leading Scottish Stable with recognised experience across Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury, Public and Planning law, and Commercial and Alternative Dispute resolution. Joanna Cherry’s inclusion in its ranks with 27 other senior counsel and 34 junior counsel further enhances Ampersand’s reputation as a leading force for those looking in instruct Scottish Counsel.
Ampersand is a tier 1 set with the leading legal directories across multiple practice areas and is the Scottish “Stable of the year” at the Legal 500 Scottish Awards 2023.
You can view Joanna Cherry KC’s profile here.
For any enquiries about instruction Counsel, please contact the Ampersand Clerking Team: ampersandclerks@advocates.org.uk.