SKO > Edinburgh, United Kingdom > Firm Profile
SKO Offices
18 George Street
EDINBURGH
EH2 2PF
United Kingdom
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SKO > The Legal 500 Rankings
Private client > Family Tier 1
SKO, an ‘exceptional firm, with excellent work ethic and communication style', is a family law boutique noted for its skill in international matters, both intra-UK and globally. The Edinburgh-based team has expertise covering a range of complex topics, including surrogacy and parentage, privacy and abuse, and nuptial and cohabitations agreements. Rachael Kelsey
is particularly praised for her international private law experience, while Susan Oswald stands out in intra-UK child law cases. Alison Edmondson is recommended for her handling of cases involving privacy and capacity concerns, and Robert Gilmour is a key member of the team. Jackie Pringle joined the team in 2023, bolstering its advocacy capabilities. Other key lawyers:
Rachael Kelsey; Robert Gilmour; Alison Edmondson; Seonaid Cochrane; Susan Oswald; Mairead Corrigan
Testimonials
‘Second to no-one and none in terms of navigating multiple jurisdictions and technical expertise.’
‘The team helped us deal with a complex case that spanned 3 continents. The team guided us through what was a difficult period and were very tolerant and patient.’
‘Rachel Kelsey was patient and understanding through what was a very delicate negotiation. The case was further complicated by US and UK law. We cannot thank her and her team enough for this as it has allowed all parties to move on with their lives.’
‘Susan Oswald has been great to work with. She has been really accommodating and flexible and has a great presence during mediation helping to keep the tone as light as possible whilst also making sure both sides are getting a chance to express themselves.’
‘Very competent and knowledgeable, felt they took a personal interest in my success, provided a great level of detail and took the time to explain each step of the process and what was required.’
‘Exceptional firm, with excellent work ethic, and communication style. The way in which they manage their team makes you feel centre of attention with no delay in communication.’
‘SKO Family Law is a law firm with a focus and expertise within family law. The speediness in responses, the thoroughness with advise, and the caution when needed were outstanding.’
‘I feel this practice stands out because of the people that make it up. They are not only professional and extremely knowledgeable but they are approachable, relational, dependable, and trustworthy.’
Work highlights
SKO > Firm Profile
SKO Family Law Specialists has unrivalled expertise and experience in a number of areas of family law practice, delivering first-class legal advice with discretion, accessibility, sensitivity and pragmatism. Top ranked in both The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for many years, SKO have three of the four named lawyers in Chambers and Partners HNW 2023 Guide and they are the only Scottish family lawyers in Spears HNW Family Law Index.
Shortlisted for Boutique Law Firm of the Year in the inaugural Legal 500 Scottish Law Awards 2023, and the home of the only family lawyer shortlisted for Lawyer of the Year in the same awards. They have been one of The Times Best Law Firms since the inception of the Awards, and the only family lawyer to be profiled in The Times Scottish Lawyer of the week was from SKO.
The firm has more lawyers accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as specialists in the disciplines of family law, child law and family mediation than any other firm in Scotland and an unrivalled network of contacts in the UK and abroad. SKO’s clients tend to have unusual elements in their case and/or seek bespoke, personal and partner-led advice.
The firm: SKO was established in Edinburgh in 2008 and is now the largest niche family law practice in Scotland. The Scottish base of the firm is in Edinburgh, although work is undertaken for clients UK-wide.
The practice has had a presence in London since 2013. Name partner Rachael Kelsey now divides her time between London and Edinburgh, seeing clients who are London/Channel Islands, continental Europe or US-based and advising on cases where there are jurisdictional elements and Scottish connections. The practice advises solely on Scots law and works regularly with many of the significant English family teams when comprehensive intra-UK advice is required. The practice has extensive and close connections with firms internationally and routinely works with advisers overseas.
The firm has a preference for an independent, multi-disciplinary team approach, which allows it to work with other specialists – family lawyers in other jurisdictions; tax, family office, reputation management, corporate, immigration, property or employment lawyers and accountants, wealth management advisors and trustees. The firm specialises in pulling together highly effective teams which best serve the unique needs of the client, offering strategic and comprehensive problem-solving that complements other legal and financial advice and that works effectively in the context of complicated personal and financial circumstances. They often act as lead advisor in multi-jurisdictional matters.
The nature of the practice is broadly a third financial provision (married/partnered/cohabiting individuals); a third child law (often more unusual child work including child abduction, surrogacy/HFEA advisory work, adoption and relocation) and a third ‘other’, including DR (the practice has three family arbitrators, four mediators and three collaboratively trained lawyers), corporate advisory work for charities, local authorities and government bodies, film and TV production companies and reputation management for individuals.
The firm has developed through lateral hire and organic growth and now comprises four directors, six other solicitors (ranging from newly to eleven years qualified), three non-qualified fee-earners and two other support staff. The practice anticipates further growth in jurisdictional and reputation management work and corporate advisory work.
Types of work undertaken: SKO is an acknowledged expert in Scots family law and continues to be in the first tier in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. The firm practices exclusively Scots family law, with experience in areas from cohabitation to marriage to divorce; civil partnership to dissolution; financial provision and financial claims; residence and contact issues; adoption, parental responsibilities and rights; surrogacy and ART to parentage; gender-recognition and equal treatment; relocation and abduction; mediation, collaboration and arbitration; forced marriage and faith-based issues; inter-generational gifting and family law elements of tax and succession planning; pre-nups and post-nups; pre-cips, post-cips and cohabitation contracts; parentage and child support; corporate advisory work acting for pension trustees and film and TV production companies and reputation management and privacy.
The firm understands that good legal advice cannot be delivered in a vacuum and endeavours to work with its clients’ other legal, financial and tax advisors; to solve problems and think strategically; and give clients options and advice so that they can take the decisions that affect their lives and those of their family. The firm’s lawyers are accessible, sensitive, discreet and pragmatic; lawyers who are advocates for the firm’s clients – persuasive, tenacious and effective. That amalgam of abilities and qualities is what SKO is known for and what sets the firm apart.
Other offices: London
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Law, Jurisdictional Issues and Reputation Management | Rachael Kelsey | ||
| Child Law and Family Law | Susan Oswald | ||
| Family law, Tax,Trust and Corporate issues, Pre-nups and Family Contracts | Alison Edmondson | ||
| Family law, Surrogacy and Cohabitation | Robert Gilmour | ||
| Child and Family Law | Jackie Pringle | [email protected] | |
| Family Law, Jurisdictional issues and Reputation Management | Seonaid Cochrane | [email protected] | |
| Family Law and Child law | Ewan Campbell | [email protected] | |
| Family Law, Child Law and Surrogacy | Caroline Millar | [email protected] |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Alison Edmondson | Director of SKO Family Law Specialists – SKO. Accredited by the Law… | View Profile |
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Robert Gilmour | Director of SKO Family Law Specialists. Accredited by the Law Society of… | View Profile |
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Rachael Kelsey | Founding Partner of SKO. Remains the only ‘Hall of Fame’ family lawyer… | View Profile |
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Susan Oswald | Founding director of SKO Family Law Specialists. Accredited by Law Society of… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of UK partners : 4 Number of other UK fee-earners : 9Languages
French Swiss German German- Private client > Family