Ayla Iridag called to the bar after working as a solicitor for an International Law Firm, predominately in the fields of insurance and public law. Ayla specialises in actions arising from Health and Safety and Administrative Law matters. This includes personal injury and clinical negligence actions in both the Sheriff Court and Court of Session, as well as Fatal Accident Inquiries and Judicial Reviews.
Ayla’s public and administrative law practice is broad and examples of recent work include firearms licensing disputes, malicious prosecution and unlawful detention cases and orders under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Ayla has appeared in the Mental Health Tribunal. Ayla was appointed Standing Junior to the Office of the Advocate General in 2022 and in this role has been instructed by various government departments in actions under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, petitions for Judicial Review and appeals against Health and Safety Prohibition Notices.
Ayla’s Health and Safety practice includes acting for insurers and commercial organisations in defending actions arising from workplace accidents; occupiers’ liability claims and road traffic accidents. Ayla is regularly instructed on behalf of health boards and medical organisations in respect of clinical negligence matters, often with a particular interest in mental health, as well as in Fatal Accident Inquiries across Scotland. Prior to calling to the bar, as a Solicitor and Devil, Ayla gained experience in health and safety prosecutions, including at trial. She has experience appearing in the criminal courts, including conducting commissions.
Ayla also has experience of regulatory proceedings, having conducted substantive hearings for the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Scottish Social Services Council.
Selected cases
Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of Paul Hogwood
Instructed by Tayside Health Board in relation to a death in custody.
Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of Stewart Cuthill
Instructed by Forth Valley Health Board in relation to the death of a prisoner in hospital.
Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of Victoria Black
Instructed by Forth Valley Health Board in relation to a death of a prisoner in hospital.
Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of Frank Kinnis
Instructed for Grampian Health Board in a fatal accident inquiry in relation to a homicide.
Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of Jason Watson
Instructed by Greater Glasgow Health Board in a fatal accident inquiry into a death in custody.
DML Petition for Judicial Review of the decision of the First-tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber)
Instructed by the Office for the Advocate General to act on behalf of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in relation to a decision by the FTT to refuse the Petitioner’s application for compensation.
Curran v Chief Constable
Instructed as Counsel for the defender in an action for damages arising from harassment and breach of human rights.
ID v Secretary of State for Home Department
Instructed by the respondent in this Judicial Review, in respect of the hearing on urgent interim orders preventing removal of the petitioner.
Mental Health Tribunal
Instructed on behalf of the RMO in respect of an appeal under section 192 of the 2003 Act, and in respect of a 2-year review.
BC & Others v Police Scotland (As instructing agent)
Part of the team who successfully defended a petition for judicial review in relation to rights of privacy and freedom of expression in respect of WhatsApp messages. One of two instructing agents in the appeal to the Inner House.
Calum Steele v Police Scotland (As instructing agent)
Part of the team of who successfully defended the petition for judicial review on behalf of the Chief Constable in respect of the use of a tweet in misconduct proceedings.
Medaci v East Lothian Council
Instructed on behalf of a local authority to defend an action for unlawful eviction on the grounds of mental health. The action contained issues in respect of legislation on local authority housing, human rights and mental health.
Muller v Occupiers of Craigshaw Drive (as instructing agent)
Obtained interdict in a Court of Session action for the removal of individuals unlawfully occupying commercial land in Aberdeen.
McHattie v South Ayrshire Council (as instructing agent)
Part of a team of two responsible for this urgent judicial review on behalf of the respondent regarding closure of a day care facility.
Da Costa v Police Scotland
Successfully defended two appeals arising from the sheriffs’ powers to dismiss actions in Simple Procedure Actions.
Wallace v Chief Constable, Police Service of Scotland
Successfully defended a firearms and shotgun certificate appeal. The case was peculiar in that it related to the obligations on the owner of antique, and therefore excluded, firearms.
McPhee v Police Scotland
Acted on behalf of the Chief Constable to defend an action raised under the Pedlars Act 1871 in respect of a refusal of a pedlar’s license.
Chief Constable v Jane
Conducted a successful appeal against a decision of a sheriff to refuse an interim Sexual Offences Prevention Order at a first hearing
Chief Constable v Livingstone
Conducted a successful appeal of a decision to refuse an interim order in a Risk of Sexual Harm action. This was only the second appeal under this statutory provision in Scotland.
Petition for Walker Commercial Properties Ltd
Instructed by the petitioner to obtain interdict and interdict ad interim for removal of persons present on land in Livingston.
Prentice v Chief Constable
Instructed by Police Scotland to defend an appeal against the revocation of a shotgun certificate
Halley & others v Dundee City Council & others
As Junior Counsel, instructed by the defenders in this fatal road traffic accident involving a pedestrian struck by a vehicle, which ran to proof in the Court of Session.
Barclay v SSE & others
Instructed as Counsel for the Second Defender in an action arising in respect of electricity supply where decree of absolvitor was obtained.
Russell v West Lothian Council
Successfully defended an employer’s liability action at proof on multiple grounds including novus actus interveniens and volenti non fit injuria.
Murphy v G4S
Successfully defended the client at proof against an employers’ liability claim relating to manual handling and provision and use of work equipment.
Marshall v LV
Successfully defended a case of suspected fraud arising from a collision on a roundabout.
Wilkie v Energetics Networked Energy Limited
Successfully defended an action for damages in respect of personal injury arising from a member of the public falling into an excavation on a building site.
McLaren v Police Scotland
Successfully defended a personal injury claim against the police arising from a collision when officers were responding to an emergency call.
Adams v Fife Health Board and Lothian Health Board
Instructed as Junior Counsel by the family of a young women who suffered a delayed diagnosis of Autoimmune hepatitis, ultimately resulting in her death.
Glencorse v Perth and Kinross Council
Successfully defended a claim against a Council Surveyor, at proof, in a claim for damages to a boundary wall following demolition of a dangerous building.
A v Lothian Health Board
Acted on behalf of the pursuer in obtaining settlement of a clinical negligence claim arising from a missed ectopic pregnancy.
NMC v Brown
Instructed by the NMC to present a case for removal from the register.
SSSC v N
Appointed as Special Counsel by SSSC to cross examine vulnerable witnesses on behalf of an unrepresented applicant
Petition for PCS Ltd
Appointed as assistant commissioner to execute a ‘dawn raid’ commission under section 1 of the Administration of Justice (Scotland) Act 1972
Contact our clerks
Normal business hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
ampersandclerks@advocates.org.uk
+44 (0)131 260 5674 (9am to 5pm)
Alan Moffat
Advocates' Clerk
Sheena Hume
Deputy Advocates' Clerk
Shawn McArthur
Deputy Advocates' Clerk
Kathryn Ferguson
Deputy Advocates' Clerk
Emma Busby
Deputy Advocates' Clerk
- Post Graduate Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, University of Dundee (2014)
- LLB (Hons), University of Dundee (2013)
- Faculty Scholar (2021-22)
- Admitted to Faculty of Advocates (June 2022) (Devilmasters: Helen Watts, Tim Young, David Nicolson)
- Solicitor, Clyde & Co (2017)
- Trainee Solicitor, Simpson and Marwick (2015)
- Appointed Standing Junior to the Office of the Advocate General (2022)
- President, Scottish Young Lawyers’ Association (2019-20 and 2020-21)
- Vice President, European Young Bar Association (2021-22)
- Inaugural Committee Member, Junior Bar Association (2021-22)
- Board Member, Journal Editorial Board, Journal of the Law Society of Scotland (2018-22)
- Student Director, Dundee Student Law Clinic (2013-14)