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Areas of expertise

Professional information

  • 2025 to date: member of Scottish Civil Justice Council
  • 2018 to date: Standing Junior, Office of Advocate General
  • 2018: Called to the bar (Devilmasters: Chris Paterson KC, Dan Byrne KC, Sarah Livingstone)
  • 2017: Lord Reid Scholar
  • 2014: Chartered Insurance Institute, Diploma in Insurance
  • 2008 – 2017: Brodies LLP
  • 2007: University of Edinburgh: LLB (Hons) (First Class)
  • 2007: Lord President Cooper Memorial Prize (for Honours student of outstanding distinction)
Professional experience

Adam has particular expertise in professional negligence and construction disputes. His other main areas of practice are commercial and public law. He is regularly involved in alternative dispute resolution, including mediation, adjudication and arbitration. He has significant experience of obtaining urgent interim orders. Adam represents the UK Government in judicial review cases, including cases concerning human rights and immigration. Prior to calling to the Bar, Adam practiced in Brodies LLP’s Dispute Resolution department for seven years. He qualified as a Solicitor Advocate in July 2015. As a solicitor, Adam gained extensive experience of acting in professional negligence claims on behalf of solicitors, surveyors, accountants, IFAs, brokers, architects and construction professionals. Completing the CII Diploma in Insurance in 2014 enhanced Adam’s insurance industry knowledge.

Notable cases

Professional Liability

  • Cockburn v Cockburn’s Judicial Factor 2024 SLT 1089. Debate on whether allegations of professional negligence required to be supported by an independent expert report
  • Andrew Marr International Ltd v Mackinnons Solicitors LLP 2025 SLT 295. Debate on whether pursuer had relevantly averred that the liabilities of a common law partnership had been transferred to a successor limited liability partnership. 
  • Ronnie O’Neill Freight Solutions Ltd v MacRoberts LLP 2023 SLT 1196. Proof in Court of Session (commercial court) in claim against solicitors regarding advice given on the settlement of a previous litigation.
  • Aird v Lamb (Greenock Sheriff Court, February 2020). Proof in claim against solicitor arising from failure to report on existence of access rights.
  • Iain Ford v W & AS Bruce [2020] SCKIR 9. Debate on prescription arising from alleged failure by solicitor to advise on inclusion of survivorship destination in title to jointly owned property.
  • McKay v Sesame Limited (Aberdeen Sheriff Court, November 2019). Debate on whether claim for alleged negligent financial advice had prescribed.
  • Gordon’s Trustees v Campbell Riddell Breeze Paterson LLP 2017 SLT 1287 (as solicitor advocate). Application of s11(3) of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 to a claim for economic loss against solicitors.

Construction

  • Greater Glasgow Health Board v Multiplex Construction Europe Ltd [2025] CSOH 56. Proof before answer on prescription in relation to cladding in hospital atrium which is alleged not to comply with applicable building standards from a fire safety perspective. 
  • Tilbury Douglas Construction Ltd v Ove Arup & Partners Scotland Ltd 1014 SC 383 (first instance at [2023] CSOH 53). Preliminary proof and subsequent reclaiming motion on whether claim relating to design of remedial works at the Haymarket railway tunnels had prescribed. Focus on sections 6(4) and 11(3) of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973. 
  • Legal & General Assurance (Pensions Management) Ltd v Stewart Milne Group Ltd & Others [2025] CSIH 24 (first instance [2023] CSOH 81 & [2023] CSOH 82). The application of section 6(4) of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 to a claim based upon alleged breach of collateral warranties.
  • Barhale v SP Transmission Plc 2021 SLT 852. Enforcement of adjudicator’s award arising from construction of an electricity sub-station.
  • Transform Schools (North Lanarkshire) Ltd v Balfour Beatty Construction Ltd [2020] CSOH 19. Enforcement of adjudicator’s award in circumstances where adjudicator had relied upon “without prejudice” correspondence in arriving at his decision.
  • Ryrie & Salazar v J&E Shepherd (Edinburgh Sheriff Court, April 2019). Claim against surveyors arising from alleged inaccuracy in Home Report (proof before answer).
  • MP Burke Transport Limited v Charles Scott & Partners [2017] CSOH 67 (as solicitor-advocate). Proof regarding scope of duties owed by structural engineer.

Commercial

  • Scotland Gas Networks Plc v QBE UK Limited & Others 2025 SC 38 (first instance [2024] CSOH 15). Debate and reclaiming motion regarding the implications of a decree by default against an insured party for a claim under the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 2010.
  • Watson v Fletcher [2023] CSOH 87 & [2023] CSOH 88. Debate in related actions for breach of fiduciary duty by company director and dishonest assistance.
  • Dalton Group Ltd v City of Edinburgh Council [2023] CSOH 4. Debate on the proper approach to assessment of damages in action for breach of contract for delivery of scrap metal.
  • Briggs of Burton Plc v Doosan Babcock [2020] CSOH 100. Action for rectification of lease which departed from previously agreed heads of terms
  • Air Telecom UK Limited v ECG Building Maintenance Limited [2019] SAC (Civ) 40. Interpretation of contract for communication services.

Public and Administrative

  • X, Petitioner 2022 SLT 157. Reduction of a decision by a fitness for office tribunal that a sheriff’s conduct did not justify his removal from office, where decision made in ignorance of the availability of other evidence.
  • The Salmon Net Fishing Association of Scotland & Others [2020] CSOH 11. Whether prohibition on retaining salmon caught in coastal waters breached Article 1 Protocol 1 rights of those holding heritable titles to fish for salmon.
  • Cannon v Scottish Legal Complaints Commission [2020] CSOH 23. Whether the SLCC had the power to refer complaints to itself.

Immigration

  • A v SSHD 2024 SLT 1306. Challenge to decisions that further submissions made in support of applications by three asylum seekers did not amount to a fresh claim
  • Mirembe (Uganda) v SSHD 2022 SLT 698. Judicial review regarding application of Free Movement Directive to third country national with a permanent right of residence in the UK.
  • Hassan (Iraq) v SSHD [2022] CSIH 19. Whether FTT had erred in its assessment of new evidence under reference to the Devaseelan principles.
  • Bakushev v SSHD 2022 SLT 1108. Interim orders hearing regarding entitlement of asylum seeker to continue to work whilst a judicial review was pending.
  • Pasian (Philippines) v SSHD [2022] CSOH 21. Whether anxious scrutiny had been applied in reaching decision that petitioner was not a victim of human trafficking. 
  • BA (Nigeria) v SSHD [2021] CSIH 42. Whether Lord Ordinary had been entitled to refuse permission for judicial review to proceed.
  • GK (India) v SSHD 2020 SLT 1315. Appeal against Lord Ordinary’s decision refusing permission to proceed with petition relating to application for visitor visa.
  • MF (El Salvador) v SSHD [2020] CSOH 84 . Immigration judicial review 
  • DY (El Salvador) v SSHD [2020] CSOH 60. Immigration judicial review challenging Upper Tribunal’s decision to refuse permission to appeal
  • Xie v SSHD [2020] CSIH 52. Reclaiming motion as to whether SSHD had been entitled to hold that there was no evidence that the petitioner would be at risk of persecution on return to China because of his practice of the Falun Gong religion. 
  • Khodarahmi (Iran) v SSHD [2020] CSIH 45. Appeal against Lord Ordinary’s refusal of permission to proceed with judicial review of Upper Tribunal’s decision. 
  • AA (Somalia) v SSHD [2020] CSIH 29. Whether the SSHD had erred in law in refusing an asylum claim by a Bajuni national of Somalia   
  • Mendoza (Venezuela) v SSHD [2019] CSOH 107. Immigration judicial review as to whether decision not to report a crime engaged freedom of political opinion 

Other

  • Pelosi & Others v Lanarkshire Housing Association [2024] CSOH 56. Whether housing association, as landlord, was liable to tenants for injuries alleged to have been caused by contaminants present in the land (PBA; subject to pending reclaiming motion). 
  • X v Brown 2024 SC 309 (and first instance [2023] CSOH 17). Whether Crown is vicariously liable for delicts committed by a sheriff. Appeal heard by UK Supreme Court in June 2025. 
  • Duff & Phelps, Minuter 2022 SLT 450. Minute which craved the court to authorise the provision of copies of documents from an action of damages for malicious prosecution, which had settled, for use in an action of damaged by the minuter. 
  • Skene v Braveheart Hotels Ltd [2021 4 WLUK 218. Proof as to whether the erection of gates across an access road amounted to an unreasonable obstruction to a servitude right of vehicular and pedestrian access with the grounds of a castle in Fife.
  • Whitehouse (David) v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland [2021] CSOH 33. Application for permission under “Iomega Minute” to use and disclose documents lodged in court action for the purpose of making reports to police and various public authorities.
  • Whitehouse v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland & Anr 2020 SC 133. Acted for pursuer in damages claim for malicious prosecution. Inner House held that Lord Advocate does not enjoy immunity from civil suit at common law.
  • Whitehouse v Lord Advocate [2019] CSOH 38. Whether the Lord Advocate was entitled to assert legal advice privilege in the context of commission and diligence.

Directories

Chambers UK Bar 2025 – ranked for Professional Negligence, Commercial Dispute Resolution and Construction (all Band 2)

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