Ross Anderson new King’s Counsel appointment at Ampersand Advocates
Congratulations to Ampersand’s Ross Anderson KC on taking silk. Ross is amongst sixteen new silks announced today, appointed by His Majesty the King on the recommendation of First Minister John Swinney.
The rank of King’s Counsel is generally reserved for those who have distinguished themselves in practice in the Supreme Courts. Advocates and Solicitors with Rights of Audience in the Supreme Courts are eligible to apply to the Lord Justice General, Scotland’s senior judge. Before making nominations to the First Minister, the Lord Justice General consults other judges, the Lord Advocate, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates and the President of the Law Society of Scotland.
Ross’s practice focuses on commercial dispute resolution, company and insolvency law, property law, public law, trusts and tax. Ross was a standing junior counsel to the UK Government (having been assigned to HM Revenue & Customs from 2015-2024). He appears regularly in UK tribunals as well as in the Court of Session.
Stable Director Isla Davie KC said: “I congratulate Ross on this well deserved appointment as King’s Counsel. He is an excellent Advocate held in high regard in the profession and this appointment further strengthens Ampersand’s offering of first class Senior Counsel.”
The full list of new silks can be found on the Judiciary of Scotland website here.
Miranda Cannibal called to the Bar in 2026 as a Lord Hope Scholar, bringing nine years of post-qualification experience as a solicitor.
She has a broad civil and commercial practice, with considerable experience in commercial disputes, contentious construction, and professional negligence. Through devilling, she has also cultivated a developing interest in administrative law, with a particular focus on tax, planning, and environmental matters.
Before coming to the Bar, Miranda gained extensive advocacy experience across a wide range of forums, including adjudications, arbitrations, mediations, and professional disciplinary tribunals. She has considerable experience in the Sheriff Court, having appeared in proofs, debates, procedural hearings, and hearings for interim orders.
Miranda also tutors on the Civil Procedure Course at the University of Edinburgh’s Diploma in Professional Legal Practice.
Ampersand Advocates’ Tony Convery acted as junior counsel for the successful petitioner (with Aidan O’Neill KC as Senior Counsel), instructed by Balfour + Manson.
The petitioner challenged guidance (“Prisons Guidance”) issued by the Scottish Prison Service, related to the management of transgender prisoners.
Lady Ross held that the relevant statutory schemes required separate prison accommodation for men and women, in accordance with biological sex.
She found that the Prisons Guidance conflicted with those requirements insofar as it purported to allow the Scottish Prison Service to accommodate transgender prisoners in prisons for the opposite biological sex.
She also found that the application of the Prisons Guidance by the Scottish Ministers would be outside their powers under the Scotland Act 1998.
& the devil is in the detail: Laura-anne Langlands
In this Ampersand Live session, Alan Moffat sits down with Laura-anne Langlands as she prepares to call as an advocate at Ampersand.
Now available on demand – this was broadcast live on Monday 15 June 2026 at 12.30pm, with questions from Deputy Clerk, Sheena Hume.
Laura-anne talks candidly about her journey to the Scottish Bar – the experiences and influences that shaped her decision, the moment she knew advocacy was the right path, and the intensity of the devilling process at the Faculty of Advocates. She also shares her plans for calling and beyond: the areas of law she’s passionate about and the kind of work she hopes to take on as she begins her career as an advocate.
Whether you’re considering a career at the Bar, looking to instruct new counsel, or simply curious about the journey from solicitor to advocate, Laura-anne’s story offers a compelling insight into the next generation at Ampersand.
In this Ampersand Live session, Alan Moffat is joined by Miranda Cannibal ahead of her call as an advocate at Ampersand.
Now available on demand, this was roadcast live on Tuesday 16 June 2026 at 12.30pm, with questions from Deputy Clerk Kathryn Ferguson.
Miranda reflects on her journey to the Bar – the career and experiences that led her here, what finally tipped the balance in favour of advocacy, and the realities of nine months of devilling at the Faculty of Advocates. She also looks ahead to calling and beyond: the areas she intends to focus on, and how her background will shape the work she takes on as an advocate.
For solicitors who instruct counsel, or for anyone weighing up the leap from private practice to the Bar, Miranda’s perspective is both practical and illuminating.
& the devil is in the detail – live on Ampersand Live
Meet the newest generation of Ampersand Advocates – live.
This June, “& the devil is in the detail” returns to Ampersand Live with two live broadcasts – each a conversation with one of our newest advocates as they prepare to call to the Scottish Bar.
Hosted by Alan Moffat, Practice Manager at Ampersand, with questions led by one of our Deputy Clerks, each session goes behind the wig and gown to explore the journey to the Bar, what devilling was really like, and each advocate’s plans for calling and beyond.
Join us live:
Laura-anne Langlands – Monday 15 June 2026, 12.30pm. Questions from Deputy Clerk, Sheena Hume [Register on LinkedIn here]
Miranda Cannibal – Tuesday 16 June 2026, 12.30pm. Questions from Deputy Clerk, Kathryn Ferguson [Register on LinkedIn here]
What to expect:
Each live session follows one advocate’s story – the journey that brought them to the Bar, the realities of the nine-month devilling process, and their plans for practice once they call. Whether you’re a solicitor considering instructing new counsel, a law student curious about life at the Scottish Bar, or simply interested in what it takes to become an advocate, these conversations are for you. Tune in live and bring your questions. Or watch on demand later.
In this Ampersand Live session, Alan Moffat sits down with Laura-anne Langlands as she prepares to call as an advocate at Ampersand.