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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:

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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Ampersand Advocates welcomes 4 new members: Louise Jardine, Kirsty Shaw, Amelia Mah and Sean White

Ampersand is delighted to welcome Louise Jardine, Kirsty Shaw, Amelia Mah and Sean White to the stable, following their call to the Bar today.

On the new members’ arrival, Stable Director Euan Mackenzie KC, said: “I am delighted to welcome Louise, Kirsty, Sean and Amelia to Ampersand. They have all demonstrated exceptional legal ability and skills before coming to the Bar and will be an asset to the Stable. I wish them all the best in their new careers as Advocates”.

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 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”.

Louise Jardine
Louise calls to the Bar after working as a solicitor for a large public sector organisation.

Louise’s practice focuses on clinical negligence and personal injury. She also has experience representing clients at public and fatal accident inquiries. Louise has experience in other areas including mental health, regulatory matters and public law. Louise has appeared in Sheriff Courts across Scotland, including the All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court. As a solicitor, Louise regularly dealt with cases raised in the Court of Session. She also has experience of dealing with cases in the Inner House.

During her period of devilling, Louise expanded her knowledge base further having been exposed to cases involving other areas of professional negligence, commercial law and criminal law.

Louise completed her LLB and Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Glasgow.

Kirsty Shaw
Kirsty calls to the Bar having previously worked as a solicitor at a leading commercial law firm.

Kirsty practices principally in the field of commercial disputes and has particular experience of construction project litigation. She also has considerable experience in professional liability, insolvency and property litigation. In addition, Kirsty has an interest in public and planning law and clinical negligence.

She has represented a broad range of clients in a number of complex disputes of substantial value in court and at arbitration, adjudication and mediation.

Kirsty is currently a tutor in Contract law and Unjustified Enrichment, Commercial law and Evidence at the University of Edinburgh.

Amelia Mah
Amelia calls to the Bar having trained at an international commercial law firm with a particular focus on commercial and real estate litigation. She was the recipient of the Lord Hope and Faculty scholarships whilst devilling.

In private practice, Amelia worked on large commercial disputes, including breaches of contract, procurement and group litigation. She also has experience with insurance and reinsurance matters, particularly in professional negligence defence. Amelia also practised in real estate litigation where she was involved in lease disputes, actions for payment of rent arrears and dilapidation claims.

Whilst devilling, Amelia gained further experience in a wide range of high value and complex commercial actions in the Court of Session. She has developed a particular interest in the field of intellectual property, covering trademark infringement, patent infringement and copyright infringement claims. Amelia gained considerable experience in moving for interim orders in intellectual property actions. She continues to work in the field of commercial property litigation, including disputes on access rights.

Amelia was also involved in fatal and serious clinical negligence claims for both pursuers and defenders, public law cases and public inquiries. She has experience in all levels of the Court system in Scotland from the Sheriff Court to the Inner House.

Sean White
Sean calls to the Bar having enjoyed a varied civil litigation practice as a solicitor.

He practices mainly in commercial litigation, with particular interest in construction and property disputes, commercial contracts and professional and clinical negligence.

Sean came to the Bar with already impressive representative experience, having appeared in various courts and tribunals in Scotland, where he has conducted proofs, debates and other contentious and non-contentious hearings for pursuers and defenders. He has represented businesses and individuals in a range of complex and high-value cases.

Before calling to the Bar, Sean worked as a Senior Solicitor in the commercial disputes team of a well-known Scottish firm, where he focussed principally on construction and energy sector disputes. During this time, he worked on many Court of Session litigations and gained experience in different forms of alternative dispute resolution, including mediation, arbitration and adjudication.

He previously trained and worked with an Edinburgh-based litigation firm, during which time he represented clients in a range of cases, covering commercial contracts, professional and clinical negligence, personal injury, interdict and judicial review, amongst other things.

During devilling, Sean gained further experience in construction, property, professional and clinical negligence, commercial contract, company and insolvency litigation.

For further information about their practices view their profiles here:

To instruct any of them, please contact the Ampersand Clerking Team: ampersandclerks@advocates.org.uk.

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Sean White

Sean White called to the Bar in 2024, having enjoyed a varied civil litigation practice as a solicitor.

He practices mainly in commercial litigation, with particular interest in construction and property disputes, commercial contracts and professional and clinical negligence.

Sean came to the Bar with already impressive representative experience, having appeared in various courts and tribunals in Scotland, where he has conducted proofs, debates and other contentious and non-contentious hearings for pursuers and defenders. He has represented businesses and individuals in a range of complex and high-value cases.

Before calling to the Bar, Sean worked as a Senior Solicitor in the commercial disputes team of a well-known Scottish firm, where he focussed principally on construction and energy sector disputes. During this time, he worked on many Court of Session litigations and gained experience in different forms of alternative dispute resolution, including mediation, arbitration and adjudication.

He previously trained and worked with an Edinburgh-based litigation firm, during which time he represented clients in a range of cases, covering commercial contracts, professional and clinical negligence, personal injury, interdict and judicial review, amongst other things.

During devilling, Sean gained further experience in construction, property, professional and clinical negligence, commercial contract, company and insolvency litigation.

Selected cases:

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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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Katharine Muir

Katharine Muir called to the Bar in 2022 after 6 years as a solicitor in private practice. She is currently on maternity leave. She has a varied civil practice which includes professional regulation, clinical negligence, product liability, judicial review, defamation, construction litigation and contractual disputes. She appears regularly in the Sheriff Courts and Court of Session and has been instructed in group proceedings.

Katharine has a particular interest in product liability. She has worked on some of the most high-profile product liability cases in Scotland as solicitor and since coming to the Bar. She has also advised manufacturers on product compliance and safety, labelling and advertising.

Katharine tutors on the Commercial Law course at the University of Strathclyde.

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Ampersand Advocates welcomes Ian Forrester QC back to practice

Ampersand Advocates is delighted to welcome back to practice Ian Forrester QC.

Mr Forrester is a renowned lawyer in European and Competition law and returns to practice following his appointment as the UK nominated Judge to the General Court of the European Union ending due to Brexit. He brings an unrivalled wealth of knowledge and experience for any instructions, and expects to concentrate on advisory and Arbitration work, including appointment as an Arbitrator.

On his return to Practice, Mr Forrester said: “It is fun to return to practice. When in Luxembourg, I discovered that my colleagues were well acquainted with the special status and history of Scots law. They were supportive and generous during the turbulent steps leading to Brexit, a political act which leaves unsettled dozens of important legal questions of great significance for many people in different walks of life. I look forward to re-entering the community of senior practitioners, assisted by my judicial experience.”

Stable Director Euan Mackenzie added: “Ian has had an illustrious career, including having spent five years as a Judge of the European Court of Justice. We are delighted to welcome a lawyer of Ian’s standing back to legal practice and have no doubt that his expertise in all matters relating to European law will be in high demand as the UK forges a new relationship with the EU.”

You can view more details of Mr Forrester’s practice here: https://ampersandadvocates.com/people/ian-forrester/

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