Sir Ian Forrester KC: Ampersand advocate knighted in New Year Honours list
Ampersand is delighted to hear the news that Ian Forrester KC, a Member of the Faculty of Advocates since 1972 and a former Judge of the Court of the European Union, has been conferred the honour of Knight Bachelor on the 2026 New Year Honours list.
Sir Ian is recognised for his lifetime contribution to international legal practice, writing and teaching in law, supporting and actively providing pro bono legal practice, Franco-British legal relations and other charitable work. Before his appointment as an international judge, he also represented a wide range of clients including the Government of Gibraltar, the BBC and the Scottish Football Association, and was described in the legal world as one of the world’s top competition lawyers.
In 2015, he was nominated by the UK to serve as the UK Judge on the General Court of the European Union, a role he fulfilled with distinction, and earned a strong reputation, reflecting well on the UK, right up until the UK’s EU Exit. He has subsequently served on the Competition Appeal Tribunal, is a former President of the Franco British Lawyers Society and an Assembly Trustee of the Church of Scotland, further cementing his legacy in both the legal profession and public service, as well as supporting the arts and music.
Stable Director, Isla Davie KC, said: “Sir Ian Forrester KC has a formidable reputation as one of our leading legal minds. His stellar career and the regard in which he is held in the legal world are testament to that fact. What is perhaps less well known, for those who have not met him in person, is that he is an incredibly charming and modest man. It is a real pleasure having him as a member of Ampersand stable. As the saying goes, this really couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.”
We offer Sir Ian sincere congratulations on this honour.
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Christmas and New Year opening hours 2025/26
Ampersand wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
The Stable will be closed on the following days over the festive period:
- Tuesday, 23rd December from 5pm to 9am on Monday, 29th December 2025;
- Tuesday, 30st December from 5pm to 9am on Monday, 5th January 2026.
Our remote clerking cover over the festive period is:
- 23rd December – Alan Moffat, Jennifer Dunn, Kathryn Ferguson, Bonnie McCracken and Kayley Mason;
- 29th and 30th December – Alan Moffat and Kathryn Ferguson.
When the office is closed emails and telephones will not be monitored. During those times you can contact an advocate directly via the contact details on their own profile. Please look out for out of office auto replies if counsel are not available.
Normal business hours resume from Monday, 5th January 2026.
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Susanne Tanner KC’s report on the prosecution of sexual offences in Scotland has been published
Susanne Tanner KC’s report on the way in which Scotland’s independent prosecution service deals with sexual offences has been published.
The review of the approach of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) to these cases was commissioned by the Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain KC, in December 2021, in recognition of the profoundly damaging impact of sexual offending on victims and society and the disproportionate impact of sexual violence on women and girls.
The vision for the work was a wide-ranging review to take account of a diverse spread of experiences and views, so that it was relevant to as many people, groups and organisations as possible.
The Review’s Terms of Reference were published in November 2022 and the work took place over three years in which there were various political and legal developments in the way in which sexual offences are dealt with.
Ms Tanner KC, the Chair of the Review, said: “One thing remains constant in a changing legal landscape: the need to listen to people and to actually hear what they are saying.”
“A solely inward-looking review would not have met its intended purpose – to produce a prosecution approach to sexual crime which is fit for our age.”
The Review heard hundreds of contributions from victims, third sector support organisations, charities, COPFS staff, prosecutors, defence lawyers, government, police officers, judges, courts service, Bairns’ Hoose, academics and business leaders, in Scotland, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.
Ms Tanner said: “Central to our approach was how best to gather and reflect the views and experiences of victims of sexual crime. It is clear from evidence we gathered and from the literature about sexual offences that victims of sexual crime and the third sector organisations supporting them have been saying the same things, in different forums, for what seems like an endless period of time. Nonetheless, it was important for me to meet victims of sexual crime who wanted to take part in the Review and share their experiences of the prosecution process. The victims’ contributions and those of the third sector organisations supporting them were a cornerstone of the Review.’
“I am indebted to the wide range of contributors for their time, support, views, knowledge and expertise. I hope they see their views reflected throughout the report and in many of my recommendations.”
Ms Tanner made 197 recommendations and four observations.
They are wide ranging and include: improved communication with victims; national legal leaders for sexual offences; a ‘lived experience board’ to allow victims to participate in policy development; more effective collaboration with the third sector, police and courts service; wellbeing support for prosecutors and staff; increased accessibility and transparency of COPFS sexual offences policy; embedding trauma-informed practice and the rights of the accused in specialist training for prosecutors and staff; improved record keeping and collection of statistical data on sexual offences; and finding creative and rights’ respecting ways of seeking the views of children and young people.
Review Chair, Susanne Tanner KC, is recognised for her work on high-profile inquiries and reviews. She is ranked as a leading silk in public law, inquiries, investigations and criminal law. She is dual qualified as an advocate in Scotland and a barrister in England & Wales.
She has extensive experience of prosecuting and defending rape and serious sexual offence cases, including a commission as Assistant Principal Crown Counsel, one of the country’s senior prosecutors, and three years as a specialist sexual offences Advocate Depute. She lectures at University of Edinburgh on sexual offending and the law.
She said: “My vision is for COPFS to take a unified approach to sexual offence cases in which staff are empowered through specialist training and welfare support to do a difficult job; in which victims are supported and have their rights respected throughout the prosecution process, while respecting the rights of the accused; and in which there is genuine, positive and effective collaboration with Police Scotland, SCTS, Scottish Government, the third sector and the wider legal profession.”
COPFS, Scotland’s independent prosecution service, has accepted the broad principles of the Review as part of an ongoing programme of change.
Ms Tanner said: “My sincere thanks go to the Review Team – Angela Farrell, Emma Forbes, Mylene Cremers and Connor MacIntyre – for their dedication, support and hard work. I am also extremely grateful for the assistance of Alex Sutherland and Paul Harvey, Advocates; and to Erin Rennie, Glasgow Caledonian University, for her contribution to the literature review. Thanks also to Sam Craib, Mhairi-Clare Collins, Styliana Papachristoforou and Kathryn Wilson, trainee solicitors, who assisted our work and Tammy Hislop, Aslam Ramzan and Lindsay Shields, trainee solicitors, for proof reading.”
Ms Tanner said: “I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to do this work and I hope that my recommendations lead to real, transformative change in the way in which COPFS deals with sexual offences now and in the future.”
To access the Sexual Offences Review Report: https://www.copfs.gov.uk/publications/sexual-offences-review-report/
To access the Summary of Recommendations and Observations: https://www.copfs.gov.uk/publications/sexual-offences-review-report-recommendations-and-observations/
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Chris Stephen appointed to Attorney General’s Public International Law Panel
We are pleased to announce that, following the application process earlier this year Chris Stephen has been appointed to the Attorney General’s Public International Law Panel. Chris has been appointed to the C Panel.
Members of the panels advise the UK Government on matters of public international law and undertake cases involving public international law in international courts and in the domestic courts of the UK.
The appointment will commence from 1 January 2026 for a period of 5 years.
Chris specialises in public international law, international arbitration and public law. He is called to the Bars of both England & Wales and Scotland. Prior to being called to the Bar, he worked for over twelve years as a solicitor both in private practice law firms and for the UK Government, including as an Assistant Legal Adviser in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). He was appointed Standing Junior Counsel to UK Government Departments in Scotland in 2022.
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The Faculty Christmas Collection – a decade of gifting hope
For the past 10 years the Faculty of Advocates Christmas Collection has been a lifeline for vulnerable families across Fife – and in 2025 the need is greater than ever.
This annual initiative supports families facing isolation, bereavement, disability, mental health challenges, and poverty – helping to ensure that Christmas is a time of joy rather than despair.
Ampersand’s Maria Maguire KC, who launched the collection a decade ago, said: “My mother, who survived the poverty of the 1930s, taught me the importance of helping others in need.
“Over the past 10 years, I’ve been moved by the generosity of Faculty members and staff, solicitor and judicial colleagues, and friends and family who have given hope to families in crisis.”
With child poverty rates in Fife still alarmingly high – over 11,000 children live in relative poverty – the Faculty Christmas Collection offers vital support. Every gift and donation helps ease the pressure on parents and brings joy to children who might otherwise go without.
What began in 2015 as a simple appeal for toys has grown into a remarkable effort that has raised over £100,000 and delivered thousands of gifts to 800 families and more than 1,250 children. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the collection now reaches all six Home-Start branches in Fife.
The impact is profound. Donations also fund essentials such as food vouchers, heating, baby supplies, and bedding. They support year-round activities such as play sessions, outings and swimming lessons, which many families could not otherwise afford. This mitigates the acute effects of poverty and deprivation and can set children on the path to a better future.
Parents and individuals who received gifts and support have shared heartfelt messages of gratitude. One parent said: “Thank you so much – you have taken pressure off as we did not know how we would manage it all and have very disappointed children and tearful parents. The gifts are amazing.”
“I was scared to ask for help as I looked and felt like a failure. You will never know the difference you have made to my life with your support and a gift for me – happy tears,” wrote another recipient.
Another spoke of the relief after unexpected challenges: “After my husband’s accident and no recourse to funds for Christmas as benefits were not sorted, you will never know the difference you made with gifts and a food voucher. Thanks just do not cut it.”
Whether facing isolation, financial strain, or personal crises, the support offered has brought hope and dignity to those who needed it most.
This year’s appeal asks for:
- New toys, books, and clothes for children, especially under-fives.
- Thoughtful gifts for parents, many of whom struggle with mental health issues.
- Festive treats such as selection boxes and biscuits.
- Cash donations, which go directly to assist families in need.
Items ordered online for the Faculty Christmas Collection can be delivered directly to Parliament House on or before Friday 12 December. Donations can also be handed in at reception at the Faculty of Advocates in Parliament House until 11.30am on Saturday 13 December. Faculty Superintendent Scott Brownridge can also arrange for items to be collected. For more information on how to donate please click here.
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Eljamel Inquiry Opening Statements Hearing
The Eljamel Inquiry held its opening statements hearing in Edinburgh on 26th and 27th November 2025.
Five members of Ampersand Advocates appeared at this hearing and delivered statements, instructed for various parties:
The first set of evidential hearings is scheduled to take place from 20 April 2026. The Eljamel Inquiry is, amongst other matters, to investigate:
- The appointment of Mr Eljamel to various professional positions he held between 1995 and 2014, his clinical supervision and suspension in 2013 and his resignation on 31 May 2014;
- When concerns about Mr Eljamel were raised and how those concerns were responded to by NHS Tayside and those working for it;
- Whether important information about Mr Eljamel’s professional practice was concealed by him and/or NHS Tayside; and
- Whether the actions taken by NHS Tayside and other relevant organisations and the systems that they had in place were adequate to protect patients.
The Inquiry can make recommendations as to how systems or practices could be improved to protect NHS patients and promote their safety in the future.
You can view the opening statements on the Inquiry website here.
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