Education & Professional Career to Date

Appointments

• Chairman, Competition Appeals Tribunal (part time) (2021–present)
• Chairman, Police Appeals Tribunal (2008–present)
• Convenor, Training & Admissions Committee and Board of Assessors, Faculty of Advocates
• Standing Junior to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (1995–1997)
• Standing Junior to HM Customs & Excise (1997–2006)

Selected Cases

• CLINICAL AND PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE:

• Andrews v GGHB 2019 CSOH 31

  Clinical negligence claim following the death of a patient.

• Stewart Milne Westhill Ltd v Halliday Fraser Munro 2016 CSOH 76

  Issues of prescription in a claim against architects.

• Rex Proctor & Partners Retirements Benefit Scheme Trusts v Edwards 2015 CSOH 83

  A claim by pension trustees for losses caused by advice given about changes to the pension scheme.

• STV Central Ltd v Semple Fraser 2015 CSIH 35

  Reclaiming motion in relation to a right for contribution from a surveyors’ firm in the context of a claim against solicitors.

• Royal Bank of Scotland v Halcrow Waterman Ltd 2013 CSOH 173

  Issues of prescription in a claim against engineers.

• Cheshire Mortgage Corporation Ltd v Grandison [2012] CSIH 66; [2011] CSOH 152

  Breach of warranty claim against solicitors in mortgage fraud situation

• Blower v Edwards [2010] CSOH 34

  Claim against scheme actuary by pension trustees

• Watts v Bell & Scott WS [2007] CSOH 108

  Solicitor's negligence claim involving damages for loss of development opportunity

• Karling v Purdue 2004 SLT 1067

  Immunity of medical expert for evidence in criminal case

• Bristol & West BS v Aitken Nairn 1999 SC 678

  Inner and Outer House Appeal. A solicitor's negligence case involving a barony title and the value of that for security purposes.

• Lomond Assured Properties Ltd v McGrigor Donald [1999] ScotCS 53

  Professional negligence

• PERSONAL INJURY:

• Cameron v Swan 2020 CSOH 20

  Severe brain injury from a road traffic accident.

• Cassells v Allan 2019 CSOH 14

  Death of an employee in the car park of her work.

• Hill v Norside Ltd 2012 CSOH 187

  Tetraplegic case following fall from scaffold.

• Jackson v Murray 2012 CSIH 100

  Inner House case concerning contributory negligence in an RTA.

• Vaickuviene v J Sainsbury plc 2012 CSOH 69

  Vicarious liability of employer for murderous act by employee on another employee.

• Flood v University of Glasgow 2010 CSIH 3

  Stress at work.

• Law v Ronald & MIB 2010 CSOH 53

  Whether pursuer knew car was uninsured

• Toner v George Morrison Builders 2010 CSOH 125

  Work at height case

• Bremner v Bartlett 2008 CSOH 3:

  Quantum of damages

• Carling v WP Bruce Ltd 2007 CSOH 119

  Quantum of damages

• Rodger v C & J Contracts Ltd 2005 CSOH 47

  Personal injury

• K. v Gilmartin’s Executory 2004 SC 784

• Sturgeon v Gallagher 2003 SLT 67

  Personal injury

• Wallace v Paterson 2002 SLT 563

  Serious brain injury.

• TAX:

• Barr Environmental Ltd v Revenue Scotland 2020

  Scottish landfill tax.

• HMRC v Taylor Clark Leisure 2018 UKSC 35

  Statutory timebar issues in relation to the right to reclaim overpaid VAT.

• HMRC v Frank A Smart & Sons Ltd 2017 CSIH 77

• John H Donald (Darvel) Ltd v HMRC 2015 UKUT 514

• Aberdeen Asset Management plc v HMRC 2014 SC 271

• Scottish Widows plc v HMRC [2011] UKSC 32

  Taxation of insurance companies.

• DCM (Optical Holdings) Ltd v HMRC [2006] UKVAT V19549

• HMRC v Empowerment Enterprises Ltd [2006] CSIH 46

  VAT exemptions.

• Optos plc v HMRC [2006] UKSPC SP00560

  Tax

• John Clark (Holdings) Ltd v HMRC [2005] UKVAT V19327

  Tax

• CR Smith Glaziers (Dunfermline) Ltd v HMRC [2003] UKHL 7

  VAT exemptions

• Halladale Group Ltd v HMRC 2003 UKVAT V18218

  Tax

• University of Glasgow v HMRC 2003 SC 355

  Alternative assessments for VAT

• Cumbernauld Development Corp v HMRC 2002 SC 241

  Tax

• North Anderson Cars Ltd v Commissioners of Customs & Excise [1999] STC 902

  Tax

• COMMERCIAL:

• Aronson v Keeper of the Registers of Scotland 2014 CSOH 176

  Case concerning the construction of sections in the Conveyancing & Feudal Reform Act 1970 in relation to postponed securities.

• United Central Bakeries Ltd v Spooner Industries Ltd [2012] CSOH 111

  Dispute arising from a factory fire.

• Persimmon Homes Ltd v Bellway Homes Ltd [2011] CSOH 149; [2012] CSOH 60

  Claim arising out of missives for sale of development land between housebuilders

• Clarke v Fennoscandia Ltd [2007] UKHL 56; [2004] ScotCS 257; [2003] ScotCS 209

  Attempt to have a foreign decree declared invalid on grounds of fraud.

• Royal Scottish Assurance plc v Scottish Equitable plc [2006] CSIH 47

  Action arising from alleged negligent design of financial products

• Logan v Scottish Water [2005] CSIH 73

  Statutory compensation for pipeline based on ransom claim.

• McCrindle Group Ltd v Willis Corroon Scotland Ltd [2002] SLT 209

  Claim against insurance brokers.

• Scottish Youth Theatre (Property) Ltd v Anderson [2002] ScotCS 94

  Property

• Labinski Ltd v BP Oil Development Co [2003] ScotCS 15; [2001] ScotCS 294

  Property

• OTHER:

• Chevron North Sea v Connor 2018 UKSC 7

• S v Children’s Reporter 2016 CSIH 74

• Ronald v Duke of Buccleuch 2015 CSOH 79

• Apollo Engineering Ltd v James Scott Ltd 2013 UKSC 37

• Morris Amusements Ltd v Glasgow Council [2009] CSOH 84

  Acting for third party alleging breach of insurance policy negating cover

• Burnett's Trs v Grainger [2004] UKHL 8

  Effect of a delivered but unrecorded disposition in a bankruptcy situation

• Thomas Muir Haulage Ltd v Sec of State 1999 SC86

• Sharp v Thomson [1997] UKHL 60

  Property