The Legal 500

The Murray Stable was formed by senior clerk lain Murray in 1991 and has developed into one of the most experienced groups at the Scottish Bar. The 37 members of the Murray Stable – 7 silks and 30 juniors – provide a unique blend of expertise and budding talent. The ethos of the Murray Stable is quality combined with experience, flexibility, a willingness to deliver effective advice and a passion for the delivery of outstanding oral and written advocacy.

The stable: The Murray Stable has always enjoyed a reputation for excellence in the fields of public law, judicial review, employment and family law. In line with the traditions of the Scottish Bar it offers experience in all areas of civil law. A number of members are leaders in their respective areas of expertise and several have been, or are, Standing Junior Counsel to various government departments.

Uniquely at the Scottish Bar, the Murray Stable has four special interest groups that can provide clients with a quick and easy means of identifying counsel with expertise in the stable’s core fields of public and administrative law, family, employment, and commercial and insolvency law.

The stable includes advocates who are also practising barristers and are members of a number of leading chambers, well placed to offer advice on cross-border issues.

Both junior and senior members of the stable have played a leading role in many of the groundbreaking human rights cases in the higher courts since the devolution settlement and the introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Members edit and write leading practitioner works in their fields of expertise and also contribute regularly to leading legal journals. Many of these articles are available on the Murray Stable website.

Murray Stable members are adept at dealing with last-minute instructions and providing practical advice quickly and efficiently.

lain Murray and his team, Erica, Elaine and Sarah, are friendly and approachable and are always on hand to offer advice and guidance. The stable appreciates how helpful it is to provide an estimate of fees to clients and the clerks are happy to provide hourly, daily or overall estimates for work. Firm quotations can be given upon receipt of papers. The Faculty of Advocates’ direct access scheme has been extended to a wide range of clients and the Murray Stable welcomes inquiries and instructions under the scheme.

Types of work undertaken: Members of the stable regularly appear in courts in Scotland at all levels, including the Sheriff Court and Court of Session. Several members of the stable are regularly instructed to appear in the Supreme Court and in the Privy Council. Stable members are also regularly instructed in the European Court of Human Rights and have appeared before the European Court of Justice.

The stable accepts instructions from private clients and legally aided, insurance or union-backed clients.

The main areas of work undertaken are: public law, including judicial and statutory review, employment, family and matrimonial, asylum, immigration and extradition, commercial and companies, personal injury, professional and clinical negligence and alternative dispute resolution.