Public and Regulatory Bodies

Clients report of receiving a consistently first-class service. From the chairman down, the lawyers are excellent, up-to-date with new developments, and able to identify important issues and to facilitate dialogue between all the relevant parties.
Chambers and Partners

There has been a significant expansion and development of the public and regulatory bodies sector in recent years. Rapid legal change, specialised functions and increased media scrutiny has put this sector firmly in the public spotlight.

As one of Scotland’s leading full service law firms, we are perfectly placed to advise the wide range of bodies within this sector. We meet the sector’s diverse legal needs by providing specialised advice from our leading individuals in many key practice areas. 

From advising a wide range of high profile public and professional regulatory bodies on handling complaints to advising on the regulation of standards in public life, we bring genuine expertise in both public sector and professional regulation.

We have specialist skills and knowledge in acting for promoters of private legislation and advising on all aspects of parliamentary procedure. We undertake complex statutory interpretation and legislative drafting work.

We have acted in some of the most significant judicial review and appeal cases raised in the Court of Session, the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. We have a proven track record in delivering robust, strategic and relevant legal advice. 

We understand the critical importance to public and regulatory bodies of good governance, the implementation of their governing statutory frameworks and of reasoned decision-making. We are keenly aware of the impact of human rights, freedom of information, data protection legislation and all recent developments in this area of regulatory law.

Our parliamentary and public law unit continuously monitors legislative developments and policy proposal reforms impacting on the public and regulatory sector and our clients are therefore well informed of changes in the law which impact on them.

Our lawyers practising in this sector are consistently ranked in the highest categories in the legal directories Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. Chambers and Partners rank us Number 1 in Scotland in 2009 in the categories of Public and Administrative Law, Parliamentary and Public Affairs and Health and Social Care.  We are also the only wholly Scottish based firm to have a ranking in the Professional Discipline 'Best of the UK' category. 

For more information please contact Robert Carr, Fiona Killen or Catriona Watt.