Stable congratulate Marie H. Clark KC and Laura Thomson KC on taking Silk
September 4th, 2024
Arnot Manderson Advocates welcomes the news that stable members Marie H. Clark and Laura Thomson have been appointed King’s Counsel. This brings the number of Senior Counsel in Scotland’s full service stable to ten.
Marie H. Clark called to the Bar in 1996 and enjoys an enviable civil litigation practice with a firm emphasis on family and child law. Marie has extensive experience of all aspects of litigation concerning divorce, financial provision, cohabitation, civil partnerships and every facet of child law. Her cases have encompassed complex jurisdictional issues with strong international and human rights components, high value financial provision divorces and cohabitation cases, Hague petitions, petitions for adoption, permanence orders and social work referrals. Marie developed a further interest in social work referrals with a contentious medical component, including shake/impact injuries in infants. In October 2010, Marie appeared alone for the curator ad litem in the UK Supreme Court in the leading case of Principal Reporter v K and others. In November 2014, Marie returned to the UK Supreme Court in the case of Greater Glasgow Health Board v Doogan & Wood.
She has been ranked by Chambers and Partners in relation to all aspects of Family Law work and she is the Head of Arnot Manderson’s highly respected Family Law Group and Vice Chair of AFLA.
Laura Thomson called to the Bar in 2014 and has been Counsel to the Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry since 2020. Sheku Bayoh died after being restrained by police officers in the street in Kirkcaldy in 2015. The Inquiry was established to investigate the circumstances and cause of his death, the subsequent investigations into his death, and whether race was a factor.
Away from the Inquiry Laura has a busy and varied civil practice, with particular emphasis on personal injury and professional negligence claims. She is regularly instructed in fatal and catastrophic cases. She has served as Standing Junior Counsel to the Scottish Government. From 2009-2012, and prior to calling to the Bar, Laura held the office of Advocate Depute. In this role, she prosecuted many high-profile, difficult and anxious cases before the High Court of Justiciary. These included murder, culpable homicide, armed robbery, causing death by dangerous driving, rape, and the sexual abuse of children. Her appointment as an Advocate Depute followed a successful career in the Crown Office, during which time she held a number of specialised legal posts, including the investigation of sudden, suspicious and unexpected deaths and the conduct of Fatal Accident Inquiries and international co-operation in the investigation and prosecution of crime.
Laura’s criminal experience informs her approach to her civil work, and she brings to her practice considerable advocacy experience, sound judgement, and a meticulous approach to case preparation.
Like Marie, Laura is ranked by Chambers and Partners.
Practice Manager Andrew Sutherland commented “We are delighted to see Marie and Laura recognised in this way. This is a well-deserved accolade for both counsel and everyone at the stable is extremely proud. Both Marie and Laura exemplify the commitment of the Stable to excellence in their areas of specialism. I know both counsel will continue to offer the highest standard of advice and representation to solicitors and clients across Scotland, particularly but not exclusively in the fields of Family Law and in cases at the interface between criminal and civil law”.
The rank of King’s Counsel is generally reserved for those who have distinguished themselves in practice in the Supreme Courts. Advocates and Solicitors with Rights of Audience in the Supreme Courts are eligible to apply to the Lord Justice General, Scotland’s senior judge. Before making nominations to the First Minister, the Lord Justice General consults other judges, the Lord Advocate, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates and the President of the Law Society of Scotland.