The Legal 500

Within Civil liberties, human rights, public inquiries, public and administrative law (including local government) ,

At Murray Stable, Jonathan Mitchell QC, Lorna Drummond and Simon Collins were all involved in the Eba case. The ‘unflappable’ Mungo Bovey QC, who ‘tenders advice objectively and stands by it’, and Ailsa Carmichael QC were involved in the SNP v BBC case. Alan Summers QC, who is ‘intellectually one of the most able seniors at Scottish Bar’, was involved in the Cadder case. Andrew Webster is a ‘popular and well-liked member of the Bar’.

Within Commercial litigation,

Murray Stable’s Alan Summers QC, who is ‘excellent on his feet’, and Jonathan Mitchell QC are key commercial litigators in Scotland.

Within Company and insolvency,

Murray Stable’s Richard Aird is ‘well known in Scotland for his specialist interest and practice in corporate and insolvency law’.

Within Employment,

Murray Stable’s Ian Truscott QC and Hastie Stable’s Brian Napier QC are the ‘foremost employment 
lawyers at the Bar in Scotland’. Ian Truscott QC 
‘allies a thorough knowledge of employment law with genuine tactical nous’, and Brian Napier QC is a 
‘doughty pleader with a good bedside manner and a willingness to take on novel or even speculative points’. Christian Marney provides ‘sound and pragmatic employment’ advice.

Within Family and childcare,

Murray Stable’s Janys Scott QC is able to ‘assimilate a vast amount of information in a very short period of time’, and is ‘sensitive in child-related matters’ 
while also being ‘a force to be reckoned with’. Kirsty Malcolm takes a ‘calm, considered approach’ and is ‘meticulous in the work that she produces’. Ross Macfarlane handles many of the few education law cases in Scotland. The ‘extremely proficient’ John Speir, who is ‘exceptional in court’ and has a ‘very thorough grasp of the law in both financial provision cases and in child-related matters’, recently joined from Hastie Stable.

Within Intellectual property and information technology,

Clients look to Iain Mitchell QC of Murray Stable for an opinion on IP and IT issues as he holds ‘extensive knowledge’ of the area, and is an ‘admirably fine writer and speaker’, and ‘extremely creative and a genuine “blue-sky thinker”’. Iain Artis is recommended for brand management matters.

Within Introduction,

Despite Oracle Chambers’ brave move to break away from the traditional system, it has recently disbanded. Devolution provided Stables with increased independent powers; each can select its own members, market itself to agents however it chooses, and set up specialist practice area groups. Such powers are expected to lead to increased competition, and it is hoped that agents and lay clients will continue to see a better service. Richard Keen QC, who remains the Dean of the Faculty, is ‘an excellent leader, who lived up to his reputation as one of the leading lights of the Scottish Bar’. Scottish Advocates generally have far broader practices than English and Welsh barristers; inclusion in one area should not be taken to mean that the advocate is confined to that one area. However, among many notable specialists, Murray Stable has a strong immigration team and certain members of Axiom Advocates focus on media and defamation matters.

Within Lists of government-appointed counsel Standing Juniors

Within Scottish Stables Stables – mainly civil law practitioners

Within Planning, environmental and licensing,

Murray Stable’s ‘extremely sharp’ Scott Blair has ‘considerable experience in liquor licensing work’.

Within Tax, trusts and pensions,

Murray Stable’s Iain Artis has ‘built up considerable experience in the area of contentious tax work and brings that to any instruction that he is given’.