The criminal law team at Levy & McRae provides specialist advice at all levels of the Scottish criminal court system. The team’s expertise covers a diverse range of criminal matters including regulatory, financial and domestic crime. David McKie assumes a leading role in dealing with PR and media for high-net-worth clients. Fellow co-head Callum Anderson is regularly called upon to defend police officers and public officials, while co-head Neil Hay specialises in cases relating regulatory matters, fraud and historical allegations. Hay is supported by Andrew Seggie who has particular expertise in managing cases to protect the reputations of clients. Laurelle Johnstone brings a wealth of experience to the practice, joining from the COPFS in February 2025.
Crime: general in Scotland
Levy & McRae
Responsables de la pratique:
Callum Anderson; Neil Hay; David McKie
Autres avocats clés:
Andrew Seggie; Laurelle Johnstone; Paul Anderson
Les références
‘Andrew Seggie was thorough in his communication, supportive and robust in his approach. Any legal jargon was explained in laymen terms to be easily understood. Advice was discussed where my voice and opinions were taken into account. I felt fully represented and supported throughout the process.’
‘The team at Levy & McRae are second to none and in a league of their own. The firm are very capable and have some of the highest sought out solicitors and partners in Scotland. The team are very supportive and take a genuine interest in their clients, from the moment they walk through the door and beyond.’
‘The high level of resource enabled a more thorough exploration of the case and its preparation. The firm was willing and able to consider matters that I raised, giving me great comfort and confidence that I was in very capable hands.’
Principaux dossiers
- Successful defence of a professional client facing five charges of physically assaulting his two daughters.
- Defended an international sportsman who had a contract in Scotland about 10 years ago, in a High Court trial for rape.
- Acted in three cases at the same time for a client charged with a Section 1 under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act (DASA) in relation to coercive and controlling behaviour towards his ex-partner over a 3-year period.
BTO Solicitors LLP
Noted for its ability to handle complex criminal matters, BTO Solicitors LLP houses a team of lawyers that is geared to handle clients across the public sector as well as high-profile private individuals. Vikki Watt heads up the practice and is renowned for her diverse client base across an array of criminal matters. Alasdair Gillies‘ advocacy skills coupled with his expertise in reputation management sees him regularly approached for high-profile matters, while Lindsay MacNeill receives plaudits for her ability to negotiate successful plea deals. Having recently acquired his higher rights of audience, Neil Macdonald regularly acts for professionals, while the recruitment of Ramsay Hall has bolstered the firm’s practice.
Responsables de la pratique:
Vikki Watt
Autres avocats clés:
Alasdair Gillies; Lindsay MacNeill; Ramsay Hall; Neil Macdonald
Les références
‘A very good team which deals with cases to a very high standard.’
‘Alasdair Gillies is a very capable lawyer. He approaches cases in a strategic way, and is always on top of the evidence.’
‘The strength in this team is the depth of knowledge in this area of law. The case that I am involved in is multifaceted and at times requires expert legal advice at short notice, while also looking at the circumstances strategically. BTO have excelled in this over a number of years in which this case has been ongoing.’
Principaux clients
MacTaggart and Mickel Group Ltd
Principaux dossiers
- Acted for an individual charged with causing death by dangerous driving and reducing it to death by careless driving, avoiding a custodial sentence.
- Acted for a Senior Serving Officer in the British Army at a landmark Fatal Accident Inquiry following the death of a soldier on exercise in Scotland where the prospect of criminal and military prosecutions remained.
- Acted for a serving police officer charged with careless driving contrary to section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and secured an absolute discharge.
Livingstone Brown
Livingstone Brown‘s 'deep court experience' and 'breadth of legal knowledge' sees the firm routinely acting in high-profile matters concerning private individuals, public inquires, and private companies. Core to the team’s offering is its specialty in white-collar crime, securing early discontinuation of criminal investigations and prosecutions. Stuart Munro presides over the team and uses his experience to act in white-collar crime mandates across a range of high-profile cases and cross-border matters. Sarah Munro regularly acts in cases for high-net-worth individuals across the private and public sector, while Christie Allan has been praised for her role within the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Responsables de la pratique:
Stuart Munro
Autres avocats clés:
Sarah Munro; Christie Allan
Les références
‘The team at Livingstone Brown is first class. They have a real strength in dealing with all aspects of crime, with a particular expertise in dealing with compensation for those wrongly accused and advancing novel and complex human rights arguments in the context of criminal investigations. My experience is they provide a holistic service to their clients that assist them in every stage of the criminal proceedings.’
‘Stuart Munro is the driving force in the team. He is vastly experienced, knowledgeable, and skilled in all aspects of criminal procedure and related litigation.’
‘Stuart Munro is ably assisted by Sarah Munro. Sarah brings an incisive mind to all her cases and incredible organisational skills. She is a star of the future.’
Principaux clients
Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates
Kibble Education and Care Centre
Principaux dossiers
- Instructed by the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates as interveners before the UK Supreme Court in two Scottish criminal appeals.
- Instructed by an individual in relation to their involvement in the Post Office Horizon IT Scandal.
- Instructed by Kibble Education and Care Centre and St Mirren Football Club in relation to a defamation action in the Court of Session against a former board member of St Mirren Football Club.
Scullion LAW
Scullion LAW‘s pivot to focus on private client instructions has seen the team acting on a growing volume of domestic abuse and sexual offences, adding to its noted proficiency in handling road traffic offences. The practice is led by Kristopher Buchanan and routinely represents clients charged with road traffic offences, while Anna MacKay stands out for her trial experience and expertise in dealing with domestic abuse and sexual offences. Urfan Dar‘s ‘deep legal expertise’ sees him act on a broad range of cases concerning theft offences and domestic abuse, while Stephanie Grieve is the go-to lawyer for armed forces personnel.
Responsables de la pratique:
Kristopher Buchanan
Autres avocats clés:
Urfan Dar; Anna MacKay; Stephanie Grieve
Les références
‘Urfan Dar is an outstanding lawyer. With him in my corner, I can close my eyes and trust that I’m in the safest hands. His professionalism, deep legal expertise, and unwavering commitment to justice set him apart. From start to finish, he was extremely easy to deal with, making the entire process smooth and stress-free.’
‘The practice makes everything very clear for you. Very client centred. Ensure you know exactly what they are doing for you.’
‘The team put both arms around you and knowing this takes you out a “dark place”. When you communicate to the team, they provide a fast, professional and knowledgeable response and if one of the team didn’t know the answer, they would source the answer. To be honest the team were faultless. No one knows what perfect is but I believe this team were PERFECT.’
Principaux dossiers
- Instructed to defend the client charged with a significant contravention of Section.1 of the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act 2018, whereby his ex-partner was alleging coercive control.
- Instructed to defend the client who was charged with an attempt to commit theft in circumstances which suggested a robbery was about to take place in nefarious circumstances, along with another co-accused.
- Instructed to defend and attempt to keep the licence of a client who was charged with a second offence of driving without insurance, and faced ‘totting up’, meaning he was at significant risk of losing his licence for at least 6 months.