Alex Lawson

Alex was superb! He was attentive, helpful and very pleasant. I would definitely instruct him again.

Local Authority

  • Year of Call 2015

Introduction

Introduction

Unfailingly polite, unfailingly effective. 

While Alex is as comfortable in town as he is in the country, his chief aim is to provide any client, and especially the rural client with a complete package of service. Be it firearms, animals, probate, civil or marital dispute. 

In whatever area of practice, Alex can be relied upon to take an approach that does the following, and indeed prides himself on so doing:

1. Provides the client with a barrister who listens, understands and comes to grips with their case, along with personable and empathetic client care. 

2. Gives pragmatic and common sense legal advice, combining experience and knowledge of the law with real, working solutions.

3. Persuasive and extremely robust advocacy. He has been descrbied as a force of nature in the courtroom. 

Prior to coming to the Bar, Alex had a varied career which included work in Africa, teaching law, representing clients of the Citizens Advice Bureau in (Scottish) courts, and pro-bono experience on Death Row in the USA. 

Outside of practice, Alex also teaches a number of courses at the University of Aberdeen and enjoys anything to do with dogs, fish, firearms, the countryside or history. As comfortable in wellies as he is in a courtroom. 

Civil

Civil

Alex has a broad and multi-disciplinary Civil Practice, which takes in both oral and paper advocacy. Please see the seperate areas are addressed below. 

 

Commercial

Commercial

Having significant previous business experience across a number of sectors, meaning that any advice given is deeply practical. Alex is well placed to provides advice and representation on all aspects of Commercial Law, including but not limited to business rates, insolvency, contracts, director's duties, and injunctive relief.

Court of Protection

Court of Protection

Health & Welfare: Alex accepts instructions in a wide range of health and welfare matters including s21A MCA 2005 challenges and s16 MCA 2005 welfare applications.

Property & Affairs : Alex regularly acts in applications seeking the appointment and removal of LPAs and deputies. He undertakes advisory work in all areas of the Property and Affairs work.

Alex acts for local authorities and family members.

Employment

Employment

Alex acts for both Claimants and Respondents in all areas of Employment Law, providing representation and advice to employees, employers and local government. He has acted for and against multi-national companies. 

He acts in cases including unfair dismissal, discrimination, contractual disputes, redundancy, holiday pay, bullying and harassment claims, health and safety and whistle blowing. 

A particular focus for Alex are claims which relate to disability discrimination, this being an area he is well versed in both professionally and personally as a dyslexic. 

His advice is noted for being commercially minded and robust, and his other areas of focus above and below allow him to bring a holistic approach to employment law. 

Licensing

Licensing

Licensing is a favourite area within Alex's practice, including pub/club, and taxis, but of particular note is firearms and shotgun licencing, and acting within the Civil Jurisdiction of the Crown Court to overturn decisions of Chief Constables on revocaction successfully. 

Planning & Environment

Planning & Environment

This is an area in which Alex has a growing practice, building on previous experience in the oil industry and a long history of property renovation (including listed buildings). Alex has recently juniored in multi-day cases with other members of Chambers and acted alone in disputes involving boundaries and other matters. His skills in analysis, working knowledge of planning and client care can be relied upon in this discipline. 

Personal Injury

Personal Injury

This is an area in which Alex has a great deal of experience, acting for both claimants and defendants in multi-track and fast-track matters inclusive of multiple injury sights and mechanisms. He has been noted for particular adeptness in dealing with potential findings of fundamental dishonesty. HIs approach is meticulous and detailed with a talent for visually representing the mechanics of an accident in a manner which is easily understandable and digestible to the Court. 

Regulatory

Regulatory

Alex regularly represents clients in regulatory matters before the HCPC, EWC, SWE etc. Recently he has successfully represented clients who present with a number of diverse issues in both interim and substantive hearings including:

  • A 42 day long case, achieving a successful outcome. 
  • A 5 day case where the registrant was accused of unprofessional conduct in insulting a SEN child, obtaining a warning. 
  • Cases involving malpractice and accusations of misconduct including racism, illegal activity and other matters. 
  • Successfully representing registrants in amending allegations, findings that they were not in fact impaired, or that the regulator's case was simply unfounded. 

In regulatory proceedings, Alex has been commended for a thorough but extremely robust approach in representing registrants. 

Wills, Trusts & Estates

Wills, Trusts & Estates

These are all areas of regular instruction and Alex's practice includes advising on and appearing in matters relating to uncontested and contested probate - this being an area which dovetails with his Court of Protection experience in relation to capacity. 

His Trusts experience is strong, this being an area he previously taught at the University of Aberdeen and in which he has successfully represented trustees, beneficiaries and cohabitees (under TOLATA) successfuly in matters of both weight and significant acrimony between family members, helping to add pragmatic, clear and logical advice in what can often be very stressful proceedings. 

Additional Matters

Additional Matters

Animals in all forms are not just an area of practice but a passion for Alex. Great and small. Alex regularly appears in matters relating to the contested ownership of dogs, and his experience ranges from Chihauhas to Carthorses.