Miranda Cannibal
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.
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Ampersand Advocates welcomes 2 new members: Laura-anne Langlands and Miranda Cannibal
Ampersand is delighted to welcome Laura-anne Langlands and Miranda Cannibal to the stable, following their call to the Bar on Friday, 26th June 2026.
On the new members’ arrival, Stable Director Isla Davie KC, said: “We are delighted that Laura-anne and Miranda are joining Ampersand. They are already highly regarded as lawyers, and this is the start of incredibly promising careers for both at the Bar. Not only does their considerable experience lend itself well to our existing practice areas, but they are also lovely people. We look forward to welcoming them into the stable.”
Ampersand’s Practice Manager, Alan Moffat added “I am delighted to welcome our newest members of Ampersand. Their addition to our set brings the membership to 61 and the experience which each of them brings is a fantastic fit for Ampersand’s core areas of practice. They will be a real asset to those looking to instruct counsel. I am sure that joining Ampersand will offer them rewarding opportunities and collaborative support”.
Laura-anne and Miranda featured in the Ampersand Live podcasts “& the Devils in the Detail” earlier in June. You can watch clips of them discussing their practice areas below.
Laura-anne:
Miranda:
Watch their full podcasts on Ampersand’s LinkedIn page.
Laura-anne Langlands
Laura-anne has extensive experience of pursuer and defender clinical negligence work and pursuer and defender personal injury work having been a solicitor focusing on these practice areas for 16 years. During her time working at the Central Legal Office she represented health boards and dealt with workplace personal injury actions and many complex clinical negligence actions, including birth injury, delayed and misdiagnosis and fatal claims. When in private practice she primarily represented pursuers in high value catastrophic personal injury claims and fatal claims arising from accidents at work and road traffic accidents. She also acted for pursuers in complex clinical negligence matters.
Miranda Cannibal
Miranda is an advocate at Ampersand Advocates, bringing nine years’ post-qualification experience as a civil and commercial litigation solicitor specialising in construction and professional negligence disputes which she was recommended for in the Legal 500 as a solicitor. She has a strong track record across ADR and court, having conducted adjudications and arbitrations and appeared in proofs, debates and professional disciplinary proceedings. She also tutors on the Civil Procedure Court at the University of Edinburgh’s Diploma in Professional Legal Practice.
For further information about their practices view their profiles on the Ampersand Advocates website: Our People – Ampersand Advocates
To instruct either of them, please contact the Ampersand Clerking Team: ampersandclerks@advocates.org.uk.
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& the devil is in the detail: Miranda Cannibal
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.
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Ampersand Advocates Celebrates Top-Tier Recognition in 2026 Legal 500 Rankings

Ampersand Advocates has once again secured its position among Scotland’s leading sets of counsel in the newly released 2026 edition of The Legal 500 United Kingdom Bar Guide. The rankings, published today, reaffirm Ampersand’s reputation for excellence across a broad spectrum of legal disciplines.
In the 2026 guide, Ampersand Advocates has been ranked in Tier 1 for Administrative and Public Law, Personal Injury and Medical Negligence and Property, Planning and Construction. The set also achieved a Tier 2 ranking in Commercial Disputes, reflecting its growing influence and expertise in high-value and complex litigation.
Administrative and Public Law (Tier 1) Ampersand’s offering is praised for handling high-stakes judicial reviews and public inquiries, with commentators highlighting our members ability to command respect at the highest levels of the judiciary. Ampersand’s expertise in this area is highlighted by the rankings of Aidan O’Neill KC, Douglas Ross KC, Susanne Tanner KC, Paul Reid KC and Usman Tariq KC (2024 silk). The stable’s juniors Timothy Young and Ross Anderson are also recognised, with Michael Way and Scott Clair noted as rising stars.
Personal Injury and Medical Negligence (Tier 1) An impressive roster of silks includes Simon Bowie KC, Una Doherty KC, Lisa Henderson KC, Euan Mackenzie KC, Maria Maguire KC, Geoffrey Mitchell KC, Graham Primrose KC, Lauren Sutherland KC, Alan Dewar KC, Vinit Khurana KC, Douglas Ross KC and James McConnell KC. Jennifer Nicholson-White, Ayla Iridag, and Shane Dundas are recognised as leading juniors.
Property, Planning and Construction (Tier 1) Robert Howie KC, Ailsa Wilson KC, Marcus McKay KC, and Laura-Anne Van Der Westhuizen KC are all ranked as leading silks. Eoghainn MacLean, Nicholas McAndrew, Ross Anderson, Timothy Young, Giles Reid and Louise Cockburn are recognised as leading juniors.
Commercial Disputes (Tier 2) The stable’s commercial disputes team is led by silks Robert Howie KC, Laura-Anne Van Der Westhuizen KC, Paul Reid KC and Usman Tariq KC (2024 silk). Ross Anderson, Eoghainn MacLean, Mark Boni, Timothy Young, Giles Reid and Nicholas McAndrew are ranked as leading juniors, with Michael Way noted as a rising star.
Crime and Regulatory (leading set) The stable has achieved acknowledgement in this category for 2026 as a leading set with a number of members ranked as leading silks including Isla Davie KC, Jamie Dawson KC, Lisa Henderson KC, Geoffrey Mitchell KC, Paul Reid KC, Simon Bowie KC, Una Doherty KC, Fiona Drysdale KC, Susanne Tanner KC, James McConnell KC (2024 silk) and Usman Tariq (2024 silk). Jenny Nicholson-White, Shane Dundas and Ayla Iridag are ranked as leading juniors, with Michael Way noted as a rising star.
Ampersand Advocates is also recommended in the Employment and Private Client and Family categories, with Aidan O’Neill KC ranked as a leading silk in Employment and Mark Boni recognised as a leading junior in Private Client and Family.
Under Alan Moffat’s leadership, the clerking team was commended for its exceptional efficiency, prompt communication, and forward-thinking approach.
These rankings highlight Ampersand’s continued commitment to delivering outstanding advocacy and legal insight across Scotland’s distinct legal landscape.
Full listings, for all of Ampersand’s rankings can be viewed on the Legal 500 website here.
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Tony Convery
Tony Convery specialises in commercial litigation and public law. He called to the Bar in 2025 as the Lord Reid Scholar. That Scholarship is awarded annually to the outstanding candidate. He previously worked at a leading commercial law firm.
Tony has considerable commercial litigation experience, including in professional negligence, company and property law disputes. He also has experience of group proceedings, procurement litigation and proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Tony has a broad public law practice. As well as core constitutional and administrative law, Tony has experience in: (i) equality and human rights, (ii) planning and (iii) information law (including data protection and freedom of information). He has a wealth of experience in advising on legislative competence challenges.
Tony also has experience of acting in environmental, regulatory, education and media law disputes, as well as inquiries. He provides advice on trade/financial sanctions and related regulatory schemes.
Tony was a research assistant to Professor Jim Murdoch CBE in relation to the fourth edition of the leading textbook, Human Rights Law in Scotland. He has also published in his own right. He is a tutor at the University of Glasgow.
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Ampersand Advocates excels in Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2025
Ampersand Advocates has once again demonstrated its exceptional standing in the Scottish legal landscape, securing top-tier rankings across multiple practice areas in the newly published Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2025. The stable has been recognised as a Band 1 set in Clinical Negligence, Personal Injury, Planning & Environment, and Public and Fatal Accident Inquiries, while achieving Band 2 rankings in Administrative & Public Law, Civil Liberties & Human Rights, Commercial Dispute Resolution, Construction, Professional Negligence, Real Estate Litigation, and Restructuring/Insolvency.
This performance underscores Ampersand’s breadth and depth of expertise, with the stable boasting a total of 11 set rankings and an impressive 101 individual rankings across 18 areas of practice for 41 members, which includes 6 “star individual” rankings.

Key highlights from the guide include:
- Administrative & Public Law: The stable is praised for its “impressive number of highly-rated junior and senior counsel” and their involvement in significant constitutional and human rights issues. Notable practitioners include Aidan O’Neill KC, Douglas Ross KC, Ian Forrester KC, Laura-Anne van der Westhuizen KC, Paul Reid KC, Timothy Young, and Usman Tariq KC.
- Civil Liberties & Human Rights: Ampersand is recognised for representing both private individuals and public bodies in significant proceedings. Aidan O’Neill KC, Douglas Ross KC, and Usman Tariq KC are highlighted for their expertise in this area.
- Clinical Negligence: Described as a “go-to chambers for medical negligence work”, Ampersand’s advocates are lauded for their expert legal advice and representation in a wide range of disputes. Notable practitioners include Maria Maguire KC, Euan Mackenzie KC, Lauren Sutherland KC, Lisa Henderson KC, Mark Fitzpatrick, Simon Bowie KC, Una Doherty KC, Geoffrey Mitchell KC, Graham Primrose KC, Isla Davie KC, Jamie Dawson KC, Jennifer Nicholson-White, Philip Stuart, Vinit Khurana KC, Shane Dundas, Fiona Drysdale KC, James McConnell KC, and Paul Reid KC.
- Commercial Dispute Resolution: The stable is admired for its skilful work in high-profile commercial disputes. Robert Howie KC, Ross Anderson, Timothy Young, Giles Reid, Eoghainn MacLean, Graeme Hawkes KC, Laura-Anne van der Westhuizen KC, Mark Boni, Michael Way, Nicholas McAndrew, Paul Reid KC, and Usman Tariq KC are recognised for their expertise in this area.
- Company: Ross Anderson and Timothy Young are ranked as Band 1 practitioners in this area.
- Construction: Ampersand offers significant experience in advising clients on a range of building and construction works in Scotland. Robert Howie KC, Timothy Young, and Nicholas McAndrew are highlighted for their expertise.
- Employment: Aidan O’Neill KC is ranked as a Band 2 practitioner in this area.
- Information Technology: Usman Tariq is recognised as a New Silk in this area.
- Intellectual Property: Usman Tariq is recognised as a New Silk in this area.
- Media Law: Usman Tariq is recognised as a New Silk in this area.
- Personal Injury: Ampersand is highly regarded for personal injury matters, with members acting for both pursuers and defenders. Notable practitioners include Graham Primrose KC, Maria Maguire KC, Euan Mackenzie KC, Lisa Henderson KC, Simon Di Rollo KC, Douglas Ross KC, Jennifer Nicholson-White, Alan Cowan, Christian Marney, Isla Davie KC, and Shane Dundas.
- Planning & Environment: The stable is well-regarded for complex planning and environmental work. Malcolm Thomson KC, Ailsa Wilson KC, Laura-Anne van der Westhuizen KC, Marcus McKay KC, and Nicolas McAndrew are recognised for their expertise in this area.
- Product Liability: Paul Reid KC is recognised as a New Silk in this area.
- Professional Negligence: Ampersand is recognised as a leading stable for professional liability matters in Scotland. Paul Reid KC and Usman Tariq KC are highlighted for their expertise in this area.
- Public & Fatal Accident Inquiries:Ampersand offers unparalleled bench strength across seniorities in the Scottish inquiries space. Notable practitioners include Geoffrey Mitchell KC, Jamie Dawson KC, Jennifer Nicholson-White, Lisa Henderson KC, Simon Bowie KC, Susanne Tanner KC, Ayla Iridag, Michael Way, Fiona Drysdale KC, James McConnell KC, and Paul Reid KC.
- Real Estate Litigation: Ampersand offers a strong bench of well-regarded advocates active across a broad range of real estate litigation topics. Ross Anderson, Timothy Young, Giles Reid, Robert Howie KC, Mark Boni, and Michael Way are recognised for their expertise in this area.
- Restructuring/Insolvency: Ampersand is well-regarded for handling a wide range of restructuring and insolvency matters. Robert Howie KC, Ross Anderson, and Usman Tariq KC are highlighted for their expertise in this area.
- Tax: Julian Ghosh KC is ranked as a Star Individual, while Ross Anderson is ranked in Band 2 for this area.
In additional to these Scottish bar listings, Ampersand has members recognised in the London Bar where Julian Ghosh KC is Band 1 ranked in 3 tax areas, Aidan O’Neill KC is Band 2 listed for European Law, and Susanne Tanner KC has a spotlight listing for Independent Investigations in the All Circuits region.
The Ampersand clerks have again garnered widespread praise for their exceptional clerking services, with numerous sources highlighting the team’s efficiency, responsiveness, and proactive approach. The clerks are described as friendly, helpful, and pragmatic, offering first-class service that aligns with the commercial realities of litigation. Overall, Ampersand’s clerking team is recognised for delivering a consistently high standard of service.
These outstanding rankings reaffirm Ampersand Advocates’ position as a leading stable in Scotland, offering exceptional expertise across a wide range of practice areas. The stable’s commitment to excellence and depth of talent backed by exceptional clerking, continues to give instructing agents confidence when instructing an Ampersand advocate.
All of the Ampersand rankings can be viewed on the Chambers and Partners website here.
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