Ampersand Advocates ranked as top tier set by Legal 500 in 2023 guide

Ampersand is delighted to once again be recommended as a top-tier set by The Legal 500 UK Bar Directory in their latest listings for the 2023 guide. Listed as tier 1 in Administrative & Public Law, Personal Injury & Medical Negligence and Property, Planning & Construction, and tier 2 in Commercial Disputes, Ampersand has collected 22 Senior Counsel rankings, 21 Junior Counsel rankings, including 2 rising stars, across the Scottish Bar listings.

Administrative and Public Law

TIER 1

Ampersand Advocates is home to a team of ‘excellent public and administrative law counsel‘. In a prominent case highlight, Douglas Ross KC and Paul Reid represented the Scottish Ministers in Fair Play for Women Limited v Registrar General for Scotland & Scottish Ministers, concerning a judicial review challenging the guidance issued to accompany the “sex question” in the 2022 Scottish census; the review was refused and the challenge thrown out. Aidan O’Neill KC (who has dual tenancy with London-based set Matrix Chambers) garners praise for his ‘outstanding knowledge‘, and successfully acted for rewilding charity Trees for Life in a judicial review brought against Scottish Government agency NatureScot, on the grounds that the agency’s policy of issuing licences to cull beavers was unlawful.

Testimonials

Stable

‘Very helpful and responsive.’

‘Considerable strength in depth.’

Leading silks

Band 1

Aidan O’Neill KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘Aidan is beyond talented. He thinks of novel and innovative approaches to arguments, as well as having an extraordinary base of legal and historical knowledge which can be brought to bear.’

Douglas Ross KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘Douglas excels at seeing a clear route to a sound and practical solution through competing arguments. He has the confidence of clients in a tight situation and the total respect of the court; he wears his learning lightly and deploys it persuasively. He is an ideal public law silk.‘

Band 2

Susanne Tanner KC

Leading juniors

Band 1

Paul Reid

Band 2

Ross Anderson

Usman Tariq

Timothy Young – Ampersand Advocates ‘Timothy has a pragmatic approach to cases. He is an extremely safe pair of hands.’

Rising Star

Michael Way – Ampersand Advocates ‘Michael is exceptionally thorough and meticulous, very insightful in his drafting, and exceptional on his feet.‘

Commercial Disputes

TIER 2

Viewed as ‘one of the best stables for commercial disputes counsel‘, Ampersand Advocates‘ team fields expertise in handling insolvency matters, IP-related cases and professional negligence issues, to name a few. Laura-Anne Van Der Westhuizen KC has notable experience in advising on commercial disputes with planning and real estate elements. Graeme Hawkes KC is ‘very responsive‘ and regularly acts in litigation involving commercial contracts. Timothy Young ‘delivers complex legal issues in an easy to understand and pragmatic way‘. Shareholder disputes form a core pillar of Paul Reid‘s practice.

Testimonials

Stable

‘Good pool of advocates.’

‘Extremely efficient, friendly and responsive.’

Leading silks

Band 2

Alan Dewar KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘A silk who is extremely knowledgeable, concise and certainly has the ear of the court.’

Robert Howie KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘Robert is able to identify core issues in highly complex litigation quickly and with razor sharp focus, and provides practical advice on and solutions to those issues. His analytical skills are first-rate.’

Leading juniors

Band 1

Ross Anderson – Ampersand Advocates ‘Ross is a good communicator and a first-rate advocate who is quick on his feet. He provides sound and detailed advice.’

Eoghainn MacLean – Ampersand Advocates ‘He thoroughly considers the issues in a case.’

Usman Tariq – Ampersand Advocates ‘He is assiduous and tremendously user-friendly. Judges like his understated approach in court.’

Band 2

Mark Boni – Ampersand Advocates ‘Mark is extremely professional in his approach. He has a good manner with clients and provides clear and concise advice on difficult legal issues.’

Paul Reid – Ampersand Advocates ‘Paul understands the pressures solicitors and clients are under and is incredibly easy to work with. He is across every detail, and can be relied upon to explain complex issues in simple language.’

Timothy Young – Ampersand Advocates ‘Timothy is extremely commercial, and takes time to understand the client’s objectives and the wider context of the dispute. He is excellent under pressure and he is extremely robust. His written work is clear and persuasive, and he is equally impressive on his feet.’

Rising Star

Michael Way – Ampersand Advocates ‘Michael is very knowledgeable, and builds a strong rapport with solicitors and clients alike.’

Personal Injury and Medical Negligence

TIER 1

Ampersand Advocates garners particular praise for its ‘unique depth and range of expertise in clinical negligence‘; complex, high-value personal injury work is another core pillar of strength for the team. Maria Maguire KC has solid expertise in advising on cases involving psychiatric injuries and catastrophic injury matters. Lauren Sutherland KC, who is also a member of Byrom Street Chambers in Manchester, is well known for handling cerebral palsy and brain injury cases, and has niche expertise in advising on issues of consent in relation to clinical negligence matters. Among the juniors, Jennifer Nicholson-White is active in both areas, and represents pursuers and defenders in a range of litigation.

Testimonials

Stable

‘Very high calibre of advocates.’

‘The stable has a wealth of experience.’

Leading silks

Band 1

David Stephenson KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘David is a brilliant and skilled orator, who is highly effective on his feet in court. He is a very safe pair of hands in complex, high value clinical negligence cases.’

Euan Mackenzie KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘Euan is an excellent advocate, with a mild demeanour that belies a steely core.’

Geoffrey Mitchell KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘He is a skilled and practical negotiator. A silk with a calm presence in court, unfailingly polite but rigorous in questioning.’

Graham Primrose KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘Graham is simply outstanding in his field. A stalwart negotiator and a quality operator at the top of his game.’

Lisa Henderson KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘Lisa is excellent with clients, and they are well aware of her dedication to the case. She is thorough in her preparation.’

Maria Maguire KC -Ampersand Advocates ‘Maria is a class act. She is top of her game in this field. She is a master at analysing complex cases and providing clear and straightforward advice to clients.’

Simon Bowie KC -Ampersand Advocates ‘Simon is an exceptional silk who is always thorough in his preparation, calm in his approach and extremely personable. He is clever, thoughtful and level headed.’

Band 2

Lauren Sutherland KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘Lauren is fearless, tenacious and has meticulous attention to detail. She also easily builds rapport with clients and gains their trust. She has an unparalleled knowledge of relevant cases, however obscure.’

Alan Dewar KC – Ampersand Advocates

Douglas Ross KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘He is always well-prepared and goes the extra mile. A very calm and measured advocate with a very understated manner, and always treats others with respect.’

Una Doherty KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘Una is incredibly calm and instils confidence She is determined and dependable, and has the ability to cut straight through the superfluous and immediately identify the issues at the heart of an action.’

Vinit Khurana KC – Ampersand Advocates

Leading juniors

Band 1

James McConnell – Ampersand Advocates ‘A well respected junior. He is organised, extremely thorough and diligent. Excellent with clients and experts.’

Band 2

Fiona Drysdale – Ampersand Advocates ‘A diligent, perceptive and highly able junior.’

Jennifer Nicholson-White –Ampersand Advocates ‘She offers clear and focussed advice to clients and presents cases well in court. She is very personable, making her extremely easy to work with, yet is prepared to stick to her guns where appropriate and goes above and beyond for all clients.’

Shane Dundas – Ampersand Advocates ‘An outstanding advocate who is great to work with. He is responsive, proactive and excellent in court.’

Property, Planning and Construction

TIER 1

Ampersand Advocates ‘has a wide offering of quality advocates‘ and an excellent reputation for its expertise in planning and construction law matters. Laura-Anne Van Der Westhuizen KC is ‘a very impressive advocate‘ who provides ‘clear, considered and strategic advice‘ across a wide range of planning matters. Marcus McKay KC is viewed as ‘one of the best at the senior Bar in planning and environmental matters‘. Timothy Young is sought after for his solid track record in advising on construction contractual disputes and contentious property work, including crofting and agricultural issues. Nicholas McAndrew is ‘a first class junior, particularly when it comes to construction and engineering disputes‘.

Testimonials

Stable

‘Ampersand is very responsive and easy to work with.’

‘Ampersand is a strong stable with a fantastic choice of advocates.’

Leading silks

Band 1

Robert Howie KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘A superbly analytical and utterly top drawer silk who is excellent in court.’

Marcus McKay KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘Marcus is a very pragmatic silk, and he is extremely easy to work with. He presents cases in a clear and logical manner and is good at seeing the bigger picture.’

Malcolm Thomson KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘He is an exceptional advocate.’

Ailsa Wilson KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘A silk with a very strong planning law practice.’

Leading juniors

Band 1

Eoghainn MacLean – Ampersand Advocates

Timothy Young – Ampersand Advocates ‘He is a fierce advocate who you want on your side in a contentious matter.‘

Band 2

Nicholas McAndrew – Ampersand Advocates ‘An incredibly able junior with a very calm, measured and methodical way of approaching cases. He is conscientious, and clear and concise in his advocacy.’

Ross Anderson – Ampersand Advocates ‘He is an impressive court performer and provides solid commercial advice.’

Giles Reid – Ampersand Advocates ‘Giles has an exceptional knowledge of Scottish property law. He is diligent, attentive and very user-friendly.’

Employment

Aidan O’Neill KC – Ampersand Advocates ‘He is an excellent communicator and exceedingly bright. He is also wonderfully adept under pressure.’

Full listings, including all Scottish rankings can be viewed on the Legal 500 website here.

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APIL Clinical Negligence Conference 2022

* External event hosting by APIL *

Ampersand’s Lauren Sutherland KC is the opening speaker at day one of the APIL Clinical Negligence conference, discussing Montgomery and Beyond.

Full programme and how to register can be found on the APIL’s website: APIL annual clinical negligence conference 2022

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Ampersand Advocates Clinical Negligence Seminar 2022

Ampersand was delighted bring our Clinical Negligence seminar back in 2022, returning in-person after a break due to the Covid-19 outbreak. This afternoon half day event attracted 3 hours of CPD and was followed by a drinks and social hour.

Chaired by Isla Davie KC, the programme was:

12.30pm to 1pm – Registration
1pm – Welcome from the Chair, Isla Davie KC
1.10pm to 1.40pm – Shane Dundas: “Lockdown legacy – medical negligence claims emerging post pandemic” – a consideration of the claims arising and potential claims to come, not related to covid, but to other loss or injury arising from services being paused or delayed during lockdown.
1.40pm to 2.40pm – Professor Draycott: “Fetal Impacted Head Syndrome: the New Shoulder Dystocia?”
2.40pm to 3pm – Mid-session break
3pm to 3.30pm – James McConnell: “Something old, something new, something borrowed…” – a practical look at the procedural rule changes in Chapter 42 cases, and tips that can be picked up from what has worked elsewhere.
3.30pm to 4pm – Jennifer Nicholson-White: The law on secondary victims in clinical negligence cases.
4pm to 4.30pm – Ayla Iridag: Case law update.
4.30pm to 5.30pm – Closing remarks and social hour

As part of our commitment to this area of practice there was no charge for practitioners attending this event.

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Scott Clair

Scott Clair called to the Bar in 2022 as a Lord Hope Scholar.

He has experience in a wide range of commercial, private and public law litigation. In the course of devilling, Scott was involved in a variety of complex and high-value cases including commercial disputes, clinical and professional negligence claims, regulatory, human rights and constitutional law cases. Scott has a particular interest in the latter and, whilst devilling, worked on a number of high-profile judicial review cases including a legislative competence challenge to an Act of the Scottish Parliament, a challenge to Scotland’s Census 2022 and the first removal of a judicial office holder under the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

He has appeared as sole counsel before the Sheriff Courts, the Sheriff Appeal Court, the Court of Session (both Outer House and Inner House), and during devilling assisted with the preparation of cases before the UK Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights.

Before calling to the Bar, as a solicitor and then associate with a well-known litigation firm in Edinburgh, he gained substantial experience of appearing in court and regularly conducted proofs, debates and complex opposed motions including for interdict. Scott also gained experience in fatal accident inquiries and various forms of alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration, adjudication and mediation.

Scott has particular interests in contract law, clinical and professional negligence, media law, private client litigation and judicial review.

Scott also has an interest in legal education. Since 2021, he has tutored in Commercial Law, Public Law and Individual Rights, and Evidence at the University of Edinburgh.

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Louise Cockburn

Louise Cockburn called to the Bar in 2022 having qualified as a solicitor in 2004.

She was a partner in a mid-sized firm in Edinburgh and Head of Planning in Scotland for a global firm before setting up her own practice in 2014.

She specialised in planning and environmental law and regularly appeared at inquiries and hearings, many into large scale renewable energy and infrastructure projects including the proposed redevelopment of the former Royal High School in Edinburgh, the Trump Organisation’s golf course at Menie and the Rosyth international container terminal. She was also the instructing solicitor in a successful legal challenge to a local plan. She is a member of the Scottish Planning, Local Government and Environmental Law Bar Group.

Whilst devilling Louise focused on clinical negligence. She was involved in complex and high value cases for pursuers and for defenders, often health boards.

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Ayla Iridag

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

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