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

Fiona Drysdale KC

Year of Call: 2002

0131 226 5071
fiona.drysdale@advocates.org.uk
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an experienced and extremely capable advocate with a thorough and practical approach to cases

Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2023

Fiona Drysdale specialises in reparation, clinical negligence and public inquiries. She has considerable experience in catastrophic injury and cases involving children and young people.

She was appointed as a Standing Junior to the Scottish Government in 2022. She is a member of both the Scottish Civil Justice Council and the Access to Justice Committee of the Civil Justice Council. She is an Ad Hoc Advocate Depute and has served as acting Clerk of Faculty, Deputy Clerk of Faculty and Clerk to the Board of Examiners. She is a Faculty Skills Instructor and a Legal Assessor for the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

Before calling to the bar, she worked as a solicitor in a large commercial firm, having trained there in Edinburgh and London. She has also worked as a legal translator for the European Court of Justice.

She has been ranked in the Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 UK Bar guides for a number of years for Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury.

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

 

Memberships

Appointed King’s Counsel, 2023

Acting Clerk of Faculty, 2023

Member of the Scottish Civil Justice Council: 2023 to date

Appointed Standing Junior Counsel to the Scottish Government, 2022

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 2023

Advocacy Skills Instructor on the Advocates Training Course

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

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

 

Court and Tribunal Experience

She regularly appear in the Inner and Outer House of Court of Session, sheriff court, High Court of Justiciary, Fatal Accident Inquiries and Public Inquiries.

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.

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