Scott Clair
Since calling to the Bar as a Lord Hope Scholar in 2022, Scott Clair has built a strong practice anchored around professional liability and discipline, commercial litigation and public law.
In 2024, he was appointed as Standing Junior Counsel to the Advocate General for Scotland (UK Government). In that capacity, he has advised and represented the UK Government in respect of a broad range of matters, ranging from judicial reviews in relation to immigration law to directors’ disqualification proceedings.
In 2026, he was ranked as a “Rising Star” in Administrative & Public Law in the Legal 500 2026 directory, and as an “Up and Coming” individual in Professional Negligence and Professional Discipline in the Chambers 2026 directory.
Scott has a particular interest and experience in professional liability and regulation (especially claims against solicitors, advocates and healthcare professionals). As well as conducting litigation on behalf of professionals, he has appeared before fitness to practice panels and in regulatory appeals. Scott is regularly instructed by the NHS in Scotland to advise on a wide range of matters, including clinical negligence claims, fatal accident inquiries and to provide advice in relation to statutory and regulatory compliance. He has also carried out work as an ad hoc junior counsel to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry and has acted on behalf of public bodies in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. Although predominantly instructed on behalf of defenders, Scott also has experience of pursuing claims on behalf of pursuers (professional liability, commercial and property litigation). He regularly appears in the Court of Session and other courts and tribunals. He has appeared in several appeals and has appeared a number of times as sole counsel before the Sheriff Appeal Court and the Inner House of the Court of Session.
Scott has tutored in a range of undergraduate courses, including public law, delict, commercial law, and evidence at the University of Edinburgh. He continues to retain an interest in legal education, as an accredited instructor for the Faculty of Advocates’ training for devils programme. In this role, he has also represented the Faculty internationally, training advocates in foreign jurisdictions.
Scott is also a reporter for Session Cases, the most authoritative law reports in Scotland. He is a former member of the Faculty’s Law Reform Committee and in that capacity has assisted with the preparation of consultation responses to the Scottish Government on behalf of the Faculty. He is currently a member of the Faculty Council.