Douglas Ross KC
Douglas Ross KC is currently on sabbatical and is not available to accept instructions at present.
Douglas Ross is a graduate of the universities of Glasgow and Cambridge. Prior to calling to the Bar in 1998, he spent three years as a lecturer in law and eight years as a legal adviser at the United Nations, serving in Gaza, Vienna, Zagreb and Sarajevo. In addition to appearing in many important cases in the Court of Session, he has appeared in the Supreme Court, House of Lords, High Court of Justiciary, Sheriff Court, Scottish Land Court, Lands Tribunal for Scotland, Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal, Mental Health Tribunal and the Health Professions Council.
Douglas was appointed as a Standing Junior Counsel to the then Scottish Executive in 2000, becoming Second Standing Junior in 2010 and First Standing Junior in 2012. From 2014 to 2016, he was the only Scottish lawyer appointed to the A List of the Attorney General’s Panel of Public International Law Counsel for the UK Government. He has been instructed in cases in a wide range of areas, notably administrative law, judicial review and human rights. Other areas in which he has substantial experience include medical negligence and personal injuries cases in which he has been regularly instructed for both pursuers and defenders. He was instructed as Crown Counsel in the second and third Lockerbie appeals in, respectively, 2008-9 and 2020.
Douglas has appeared at numerous Fatal Accident Inquiries. He represented the Scottish Government at the lengthy inquiry into multiple fatalities in the fire at Rosepark Care Home and has appeared for health boards at inquiries in relation to deaths in hospital. He is instructed by NSS Scotland in the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry. Since being appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2016, Douglas’s principal areas of practice have continued to be in judicial review, human rights, medical negligence and personal injuries.
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Eoghainn CM MacLean
Eoghainn MacLean is a leading commercial litigator, ranked by Chambers and the Legal 500.
In 2020, he returned full time to the commercial bar after a year as permanent Crown Counsel, leading High Court (i.e. Crown Court) prosecutions in back to back jury trials, preliminary and sentencing hearings.
“If you need someone in your corner instruct Eoghainn. Quick to get up to speed. Superb on his feet in court – and he explains what is going on to clients. Best at complex commercial cases. Superb legal brain. Good with clients and wins cases.”
Stuart MacFarlane, partner & office head, Weightmans, solicitors, Glasgow
“Eoghainn is consistently thorough and very user-friendly. He is exceptionally good at analysing complex issues and explaining difficult concepts to clients.”
Fraser Geddes, partner & head of dispute resolution, Anderson Strathern, solicitors, Glasgow
“Eoghainn is a determined and focused litigator who pounces on the relevant facts and applicable law. He makes the complex understandable and navigates your case in the correct direction. You definitely want him on your side!”
Richard Frenz, partner & head of court department, Miller Hendry, solicitors, Perth
“Eoghainn relishes mastering complex issues …and will not shy away from running difficult cases.”
John McHugh, partner, Harper MacLeod, solicitors, Edinburgh
“Eoghainn is particularly good at presentation of the client’s case in Court. He has shown he “can deliver” in the most complex of cases.”
Drew Taylor, Consultant, Shepherd and Wedderburn, solicitors, Edinburgh
“Eoghainn’ s careful approach is invaluable in complex commercial cases”
Graham Craik, Partner, Levy & McRae Solicitors, Glasgow
“Eoghainn is an outstanding advocate who gave us the confidence to pursue our case and win.”
Eileen Gallagher OBE & Ann McManus, co-founders Shed Productions, London
Eoghainn has handled hundreds of commercial, competition, property (including planning and IP) and professional liability cases before the highest civil courts. He conducts them as lead counsel.
A pdf of his full CV is available from the tab on the left.
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Giles Reid
“Giles is very smart and hard-working.” “He gives clear commercial advice and is good on his feet.” “He is very bright and very capable.” (Chambers & Partners (2021): ‘Up and Coming’ for Commercial Litigation)
“He has an impressive knowledge of property law and is regularly instructed due to his encyclopedic knowledge and his approachable nature.” “He’s very approachable and he’s also able to get his head round really tricky cases very quickly and give clear commercial advice.” (Chambers & Partners (2021): ‘Up and Coming’ for Real Estate Litigation)
“A legal encyclopeadia.” (Legal 500 (2020): Band 1 for Commercial Litigation)
“He has remarkable oral advocacy skills.” (Legal 500 (2019): Band 1 for Commercial Litigation)
Giles’ practice focuses on commercial and administrative law.
Giles has particular expertise in and experience of property litigation, commercial disputes, professional negligence, trusts, succession and insolvency matters. He regularly conducts proofs and debates in these areas, both alone and with senior counsel. He is frequently instructed in the Commercial Court.
Giles has developed distinct expertise in the law of prescription and limitation, acquired as the research assistant for the second edition of Johnston, Prescription and Limitation (2012). Giles has delivered training sessions in this area of law, and is regularly instructed to advise in matters where prescription is an issue. He is a member of the Faculty of Advocates’ sub-committee for the Prescription (Scotland) Act 2018.
Giles is a tutor at the University of Edinburgh for property, trusts and succession. He is regularly instructed in property disputes in the Sheriff Court and Court of Session, and also provides advice on contentious and non-contentious trusts and succession matters.
Giles has experience of employment litigation. He is frequently instructed in the Court of Session and Sheriff Courts in disputes arising from employment, including the enforcement of restrictive covenants and the recovery of confidential information from former employees.
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Graham Maciver
Graham Maciver works primarily throughout the fields of public and administrative law, including principally judicial review, human rights and immigration law. Graham’s other areas of practice include commercial and regulatory law (directors disqualification and tax), personal injury and international law.
Graham has been a Standing Junior to the Advocate General for Scotland since 2012 and was appointed to the newly created post of Second Standing Junior to the Advocate General for Scotland in 2021, and now First Standing Junior in 2024.He has been on the Public International Law Panel to the Attorney General since 2014 and Equality and Human Rights Commission Panel of Counsel since 2019. Junior Counsel to Scottish Hospitals Inquiry since 2023.
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James McConnell KC
James McConnell KC has a practice that mainly focusses on clinical negligence. He is also frequently instructed in inquiries with a medical element. He acts for pursuers and defenders in roughly equal proportions. He is Band 1 ranked by Chambers and Partners in Clinical Negligence and by the Legal 500 in Personal Injury and Medical Negligence.
Cases:
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Jamie Gardiner
Jamie Gardiner specialises in cases combining legal and financial analysis.
On the legal side, Jamie has broad experience across commercial disputes. He particularly enjoys technical points of contractual / statutory interpretation – and finding them in factually ‘messy’ cases. From 2005-2007 he practised as a Barrister in London, so is able to advise on questions of English law.
On the financial side, he likes spreadsheets, cross-examining accountants and insolvency practitioners, complex corporate structures, quantifying loss, valuing companies and interrogating financial statements.
Jamie developed these skills as a Business Consultant. From 2007 to 2015, he worked (latterly as Director) in Accenture’s Trading, Investment and Optimisation team. He led projects in the energy, financial services and beverages sectors. His clients included BP, British Airways, Diageo and a major bank.
Jamie has an interest in animal law. He sits on the Advisory Board of the Animal Law Foundation and is interested in finding ways to better enforce farm animal welfare legislation.
Selected cases:
(Where the names of parties have not appeared in published opinions, initials have been substituted)
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