0131 260 5674 (switchboard 9am to 5pm)
ampersandclerks@advocates.org.uk

Fiona Drysdale

Year of Call: 2002

0131 226 5071
fiona.drysdale@advocates.org.uk
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Fiona specialises in reparation, clinical negligence and public inquiries. She represents both pursuers and defenders. She has been Deputy Clerk of Faculty since 2019. She studied Law and French at Edinburgh and Paris, qualified at Maclay Murray & Spens (Dentons) and worked there as a solicitor in Edinburgh and London before joining the European Court of Justice as a legal translator. She is Clerk to the Board of Examiners and as such organises the Scottish bar exams. She is an Ad Hoc Advocate Depute, a Standing Junior to the Scottish Government and a member of the Access to Justice Committee of the Scottish Civil Justice Council. She is a Faculty Skills Instructor, taught on the Civil Court Practice at Edinburgh University for ten years and is a Legal Assessor for the General Teaching Council for Scotland. She is described in Chambers UK Bar 2023 as ”an experienced and extremely capable advocate with a thorough and practical approach to cases.”

Recent Cases

James McGraw v Greater Glasgow Health Board [2022] CSOH 83
For defender in procedure roll debate in a clinical negligence case under Ch42A on Hunter v Hanley.

AW v Greater Glasgow Health Board [2015] CSOH 99 , AW v Greater Glasgow Health Board [2017] CSIH 58
For pursuer. Multimillion pound cerebral palsy case arising from birth injuries. Complex causation issues and longest-running clinical negligence proof in Scotland. Further Opinion issued after hearing in the Inner House in October 2016.

CD v Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals Trust [2015] CSOH
For pursuer. A birth injuries case against midwives involving shoulder dystocia where the child was born with a severe brachial plexus injury and permanent disability.

D’s Parent and Guardian v Greater Glasgow Health Board 2011 SLT 1137
For defenders. First Scottish case which settled with a periodic payment order approved by the Court. Structured settlement. Obstetric negligence claim arising from failed McClellan’s forceps rotation leading to spinal injury at birth.

Practice areas
Clerks

General Contact

ampersandclerks@advocates.org.uk
0131 260 5674

 

The Clerking team

Alan Moffat | Advocates’ Clerk
alan.moffat@advocates.org.uk – +44 (0)131 260 5710

Jennifer Dunn | Deputy Advocates’ Clerk
(working days Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – 9am to 5pm)
jennifer.dunn@advocates.org.uk – +44 (0)131 260 5614

Sheena Hume | Deputy Advocates’ Clerk
sheena.hume@advocates.org.uk – +44 (0)131 260 5809

Shawn McArthur | Deputy Advocates’ Clerk
shawn.mcarthur@advocates.org.uk – +44 (0)131 260 5616

Kathryn Ferguson | Deputy Advocates’ Clerk
kathryn.ferguson@advocates.org.uk – +44 (0)131 260 5660

Emma Busby | Deputy Advocates’ Clerk
emma.busby@advocates.org.uk – +44 (0)131 260 5628

Qualifications

Diploma in Legal Practice, University of Edinburgh 1996

LLB and French (Joint Hons), University of Edinburgh 1995

Diplôme de Droit Français, Université de Paris-Sud 1994

The High School of Glasgow 1977-1991

Memberships

Standing Junior Counsel to the Scottish Government: 2022 to date

Ad hoc Advocate Depute: 2015 to 2017; 2021 to date

Legal Assessor to the General Teaching Council for Scotland: 2021 to date

Member of the Access to Justice Committee of the Scottish Civil Justice Council: 2020 to date

Clerk to the Examiners and Deputy Clerk of Faculty of Advocates: 2019 to date

Advocacy Skills Instructor on the Advocates Training Course

Tutor, University of Edinburgh , Civil Court Practice: 2011 to 2021

Member of the Faculty Sub-Committee on Personal Injury Arbitration

Member of the Ampersand Management Committee 2011 – 2013

Admitted to the Faculty of Advocates after training with Peter Gray QC and Louise Milligan, Advocate 2002

Legal Translator, Court of Justice of the European Communities 2000 – 2001

Solicitor, Maclay, Murray & Spens, Edinburgh 1998 – 2000

Traineeship with Maclay, Murray & Spens, Edinburgh and London 1996 to 1998

Court and Tribunal Experience

She regularly appears in the Outer House and Inner House of the Court of Session, Sheriff Court and Fatal Accident Inquiries.

Publications

Publications

Fiona has contributed to drafting materials for use in the Faculty of Advocates Training Course and the Diploma in Legal Practice at the University of Edinburgh.

Lectures

Fiona lectures in personal injury at the University of Edinburgh where she is also a tutor in Civil Court Practice. She is an Advocacy Skills Instructor on the Faculty of Advocates Training Course. She has delivered seminars to solicitors on a wide range of subjects including personal injury, clinical negligence and advocacy skills.

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