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Personal Injury Conference 2025

*** Law Society of Scotland event ***

Updates and varied insights on personal injury law and practice, brought to you by legal practitioners and experts in the medical field.

Speakers will update you in the latest legislative and case law developments and provide you with guidance and practical updates on specific areas of personal injury work in addition to perspectives from medical professionals.

Time for discussion is not just provided, it’s actively encouraged, and we’ll ensure you have time to engage with our expert speakers.

Learning outcomes: 

Speakers include Ampersand’s Fiona Drysdale KC with a session on recent civil rape cases, and current devil Sarah McWhirter, who calls on 27th June 2025, with a session on Instructing Counsel and becoming counsel.

Full details and how to sign up can be found on the Law Society of Scotland’s website here.

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K v P [2025] SC HAM 26

Fiona Drysdale KC was successful in this civil rape case in which she acted for the pursuer. The case was before Sheriff Speir in the Sheriff Court at Hamilton. This was a single complainer rape case which had not been taken forward by the authorities so there had been no prior criminal case. This case post dates the determination by the full bench in Lord Advocate’s Reference No 1 of 2023, 2024 JC 140 and PG and JM [2024] HCJAC 43 on de recenti statements. There was a delay in disclosure of the rape by the pursuer due to a medical condition so the statements were relied on as supporting evidence of lack of consent showing a consistency of approach rather than as classic de recenti statements. There was also an admission on WhatsApp.

The case has just been published on the Scot Courts website and the decision can be viewed here: https://scotcourts.gov.uk/media/yzdhf5gl/2025scham26-k-against-p.pdf.

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K v P [2025] SC HAM 26

Civil rape case before Sheriff Speir in the Sheriff Court at Hamilton. This was a single complainer rape case which had not been taken forward by the authorities so there had been no prior criminal case. This case post dates the determination by the full bench in Lord Advocate’s Reference No 1 of 2023, 2024 JC 140 and PG and JM [2024] HCJAC 43 on de recenti statements. There was a delay in disclosure of the rape by the pursuer due to a medical condition so the statements were relied on as supporting evidence of lack of consent showing a consistency of approach rather than as classic de recenti statements. There was also an admission on WhatsApp.

The case has just been published on the Scot Courts website and the decision can be viewed here.

Fiona Drysdale KC acted for the successful pursuer, instructed by Thompson Family Law.

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Ampersand Advocates Launch Specialist Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence Channel on new Hey Legal Hub

Ampersand Advocates has announced the launch of an innovative digital engagement channel specifically designed for Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence practitioners, the first such channel on the new Hey Legal Hub.

The new platform represents a significant development in professional legal resources, offering practitioners comprehensive access to specialist knowledge and networking opportunities. It features:

To mark the channel’s launch, Ampersand has made available a selection of talks from their recent Clinical Negligence seminar, with plans to regularly expand the content library. The initiative aims to bring Ampersand’s expertise directly to practitioners through digital channels hosted by Hey Legal, enhancing accessibility to specialist legal knowledge.

“This platform represents our commitment to supporting the wider Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence community,” said Ampersand’s Practice Manager, Alan Moffat “by providing practitioners with readily accessible, high-quality resources and creating opportunities for professional collaboration.”

Ally Thomson of Hey Legal said: “We are delighted to partner with Ampersand Advocates to deliver this new, innovative personal injury & clinical negligence channel. We look forward to building out this resource over the months ahead along with launching other specialist channels covering multiple work types.”

Initial access to the channel is being offered complimentary by Ampersand Advocates for those who instruct the stable, demonstrating Ampersand’s commitment to fostering professional development within the sector. Legal practitioners interested in accessing the channel can contact Alan Moffat at Ampersand Advocates for details.

General access to the Hub is also available for free, including access to a free legal technology channel.

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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 Joanna Cherry KC

Ampersand Advocates is thrilled to announce the return of Joanna Cherry KC to practice at the Scottish bar. Joanna, a distinguished advocate with a remarkable career spanning law and politics, is joining Ampersand Advocates. She brings with her a wealth of experience in human rights, public law, criminal law, constitutional matters, medical-legal matters and in fatal accident inquiries.

Called to the bar in 1995 and taking silk in 2009, Ms. Cherry has established herself as a formidable presence in the legal world. Her extensive experience includes serving as a standing Junior to the Scottish Government and as an advocate depute. Prior to her political career, she built a successful appellate practice, regularly appearing before the UK Supreme Court as well as handling complex medical-legal cases and fatal accident inquiries.

Joanna served as the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South West from 2015 to 2024. During that time, she was the front bench spokesperson for her party on justice and home affairs from 2015 to 2021. Thereafter she chaired parliament’s influential Joint Committee on Human Rights .

Her parliamentary tenure was marked by significant legal achievements, including her involvement in high-profile constitutional litigation that took her to both the European Court of Justice and the UK Supreme Court. Notably, she led the Scottish litigation that resulted in Boris Johnson’s prorogation of Parliament being ruled unlawful.

Joanna’s exceptional work has been widely recognised. She was awarded the Herald’s “Best Scot at Westminster” in 2019 and Holyrood magazine’s equivalent award in 2021. She is also an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple. The Legal 500 have recognised her as a leading silk in the criminal field and in personal injury, medical negligence and professional negligence where she was described as ‘Fearless in her pursuit of a satisfactory outcome for the client.’

Ampersand’s Practice Manager, Alan Moffat, expressed enthusiasm about Joanna joining the Stable: “We are delighted to welcome Joanna to Ampersand. Her expertise in human rights and public law, combined with her recent experience in high-level constitutional matters, along with her medical and FAI experience, will be an invaluable asset to our stable. Joanna’s addition reinforces our commitment to providing the highest caliber of legal representation to those instructing counsel.”

Ampersand is a leading Scottish Stable with recognised experience across Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury, Public and Planning law, and Commercial and Alternative Dispute resolution. Joanna Cherry’s inclusion in its ranks with 27 other senior counsel and 34 junior counsel further enhances Ampersand’s reputation as a leading force for those looking in instruct Scottish Counsel.

Ampersand is a tier 1 set with the leading legal directories across multiple practice areas and is the Scottish “Stable of the year” at the Legal 500 Scottish Awards 2023.

You can view Joanna Cherry KC’s profile here.

For any enquiries about instruction Counsel, please contact the Ampersand Clerking Team: ampersandclerks@advocates.org.uk.

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