Livingstone Brown

Managing Partner: Stuart Munro
Number of Partners: 4
Number of Lawyers: 21
Fee Earners: 25

Departments 

• Criminal and Specialist Litigation led by Stuart Munro
• Child Protection led by Paul Sturdy
• Employment led by Stephen Smith
• Family and Private Client led by Julia Donnelly
• Personal Injury led by Kevin Pike

THE FIRM
Livingstone Brown is a leading firm of Scottish solicitors. Based in Glasgow, but dealing with cases around the country, the firm has been at the forefront of legal service provision for over thirty years. The firm is led by Managing Director, Stuart Munro. Former senior partner Gerard Brown CBE continues as a consultant, working predominantly in criminal defence.

At the 2021 Scottish Legal Awards Stuart Munro was named Managing Partner of the Year and the firm took home the title of Criminal Defence Team of the Year for the second time, previously doing so in 2019. The firm was also named Family Law Team of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards in 2021. At the Herald Law Awards of Scotland in 2021, Stuart Munro was named Solicitor of the Year.

Livingstone Brown is ranked second in Scotland in the Legal 500 for Crime, Fraud and Licensing. Most recently, the firm has been nominated as finalists in the Scottish Legal Awards 2024 in the following categories: Firm of the Year and Criminal Defence Team of the Year. The Herald Law Awards of Scotland 2024 will take place later in the year, and we are currently shortlisted as finalists in the following categories: Criminal Law Firm of the Year, Litigation Team of the Year and Law Firm of the Year. Additionally, Stuart Munro has been shortlisted as a finalist for Solicitor of the Year.

PRINCIPAL AREAS OF WORK 

The firm’s main work areas include:

Criminal: 1 Partner based in Glasgow.

The firm has acted for the most prominent people in Scottish public life. It has unparalleled experience in white-collar crime and has engaged in complex financial crime prosecutions and extremely high-profile litigation cases.

Stuart Munro, the practice head, was instrumental in overturning the decades’ old proposition that the Lord Advocate had absolute immunity from suit for malicious prosecution. This ultimately resulted in the unprecedented admission by the Crown that they had maliciously prosecuted the former administrators of Rangers Football Club and a multi-million pound settlement. The Whitehouse case has led to reforms within the Crown Office, demands in the Scottish Parliament and media for a public inquiry and questions about the future role of the position of Lord Advocate. The firm also has a strong general crime department, dealing with High Court trials and appeals.

Stuart Munro also leads the firm’s Specialist Litigation Team. This is a seasoned team of solicitors who work on cases which address various areas of the law, such as in financial crime prosecutions or Proceeds of Crime cases. Most notably, the team were instrumental in overturning the first Scottish conviction in the Post Office Horizon Scandal. They also offer services regarding post-prosecution matters such as appeals and confiscation issues, advice relating to media relations and defamation and extradition proceedings during initial investigations.

Contact: Stuart Munro Tel: (0141) 429 8166 Email: [email protected]

Child Protection: 1 Partner based in Glasgow.

Livingstone Brown offer a dedicated team of specialist family law solicitors who specialise in the field of child protection. The team offer various services, including assisting with adoption and permanence orders; attending children’s hearings; emergency care orders; and associated child protection work at Sheriff Court, Sheriff Appeal Court and Court of Session.

Key Cases: S (Possible contempt of court by local authority, [2020] SC GLA 40); DM (Appellant, DM v Locality Reporter and Lord Advocate, [2018] CSIH 73]; RZ (Principal Reporter v LZ & RZ [2017] CSIH 51); JS (JS & CS v Children’s Reporter [2016] CSIH 74) K (Principal Reporter v K, [2010], UKSC 56)

Contact: Paul Sturdy Tel:(0141) 429 8166 Email: [email protected]

Employment: Led by Associate based in Glasgow

Our experienced Employment and Contract Practice Area team undertake a comprehensive breadth of services. This includes all types of contentious advice and representation at tribunal and court, including unfair and constructive dismissal; pay disputes; maternity rights; flexible working rights; and discrimination claims.

Contact: Stephen Smith Tel: (0141) 429 8166 Email: [email protected]

Family: 1 Partner based in Glasgow

Our dedicated team of experienced, award-winning family lawyers is led by Julia Donnelly. They can offer excelling legal service in areas of Private law (divorce, residence, etc.) and Public law (care proceedings, adoptions) work, including appeals to Court of Session and Supreme Court.

Contact: Julia Donnelly Tel: (0141) 429 8166 Email: [email protected]

Personal Injury: 1 Partner based in Glasgow

Our personal injury team provide a top-quality service in respect of all types of negligence claims - including slip and trip; road accidents; accidents at work; and medical negligence. The team also undertake work related to fatal criminal injuries and applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

Contact: Kevin Pike Tel: (0141) 429 8166 Email: [email protected]

Private Client: 1 Partner based in Glasgow

Our Private Client team offer a broad range of property, executry and related services. Our experienced team can assist in matter such as wills; estate planning; executry; power of attorney; and guardianship and intervention orders.

Contact: Julia Donnelly Tel: (0141) 429 8166 Email: [email protected]