Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Restructuring/Insolvency - Scotland (Bar)
What the Team is Known For
Ampersand Advocates is well regarded for its handling of a wide range of restructuring and insolvency matters. One respondent highlights the stable's "broad range of expertise covering a variety of different specialisms," with the firm's advocates frequently being instructed to represent administrators, companies, banks and insolvency office holders in complex claims involving allegations of wrongful trading and breach of fiduciary duty, among other matters. Members have further experience of appearing in both domestic and cross-border matters and are regularly called upon to act for and advise their clients on both contentious and non-contentious insolvency cases. Barristers at the stable have recently addressed the Inner House of the Court of Session in relation to the ongoing Glare v Clydesdale Bank case, pursuing an unusual claim of wrongful bankruptcy on the grounds of subornation of perjury. One instructing solicitor praises the counsels' "excellent knowledge and expertise" in dealing with "complex and sophisticated" restructuring and insolvency issues.
Strengths
The clerks are very responsive and always friendly.
The clerks all work as a team. Even if one is off, you can be assured that another clerk will pick up your query and will deal with enquiries promptly.
First-class responsiveness from the clerks.
Advocates' clerk Alan Moffat is polite, pleasant, quick with communication and ever willing to assist. It's always a pleasure.
Notable practitioners
Ross Anderson is a well-regarded advocate noted for his expert handling of complex and high-value commercial disputes and breach of directors' duties matters. He has experience appearing in cross-border cases. He regularly advises and acts for liquidators, among other clients.
Ross is an excellent junior counsel. He is very able and clever, and very good to deal with. I'm very happy to recommend him; my experience with him has been excellent.
Robert Howie KC has a strong reputation as a commercial advocate and is also known for his ability to handle highly technical cases. He handles a broad range of insolvency work arising out of liquidations, sequestrations and bankruptcy petitions. He also has recognised expertise in construction law, often advising on insolvency issues arising from this industry. He has appeared before the House of Lords and the Supreme Court on numerous occasions.
Robert is very bright. He's endlessly polite, understanding and tolerant, kindly in his way and will always try and help others.
Robert is embedded in the law, loves the culture of the law and knows it very well. He has an unparalleled depth and breadth of knowledge of Scots law and knows answers to obscure questions.
Sheana Campbell is highly regarded for her knowledge of insolvency matters, within a broad commercial practice. Called to the bar in 2022, she is able to draw on 13 years of experience as a litigation solicitor, including as a director at a boutique firm with a notable insolvency specialism.
Sheana is responsive and delivers work timeously; she is conscientious and drafts well, and has a good working knowledge of insolvency rules and issues.
Sheana is a go-to junior counsel for restructuring and insolvency. She is highly experienced in these specialisms, with a commercial and pragmatic approach as well as fantastic technical expertise.
Sheana Campbell is technically very good and her drafting is very good.
She really does have a specialty in insolvency and she is becoming a go-to in this area. Sheana is technically very able, understands the drivers and issues, and her advice is clear and practical.
Usman Tariq KC is a well-regarded barrister with a broad commercial practice. He is regularly instructed to act for administrators, liquidators and trustees, among other parties, in corporate and personal insolvency cases. Tariq appears in several complex, high-value proceedings, and can be seen acting as sole counsel in the Court of Session.
Usman is a very bright individual, easy to work with and very user-friendly. He was once described as the rabbit-out-the-hat barrister because of his creative arguments. He is a very novel advocate.