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Ampersand News

New silk for Ampersand

27th August 2010

Her Majesty The Queen approved the appointment of 7 new Queen's Counsel, on the recommendation of First Minister, The Rt Hon Alex Salmond, MSP including Ampersand's Robert Weir.

This brings the number of senior counsel in Ampersand to 19, which includes many Senior Counsel who are considered leaders in their respective fields of expertise; this is the highest number of Senior Counsel offered by a Scottish set.

Robert Weir has a varied civil practice. Robert's practice focuses mainly on commercial law, reparation and property matters, and trust and executry work. He has particular experience in Maritime law. Chambers and Partners say "clients increasingly call on Robert Weir of Ampersand for his expertise in complex commercial matters". He was appointed to the Crown Office as an Advocate Depute serving a 3 year term which finished in March 2008, and more recently acted as Junior Counsel for the Crown in the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the deaths at Rosepark Care Home

Those appointed were nominated by the Rt Hon Lord Hamilton, the Lord Justice General. With the agreement of Lord Hamilton, John Neilson QPM acted as an observer of the process and provided the First Minster with a separate report on his findings.

The rank of Queen'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 recommendations, 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.

The press release from the Scottish Government can be viewed here.

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