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Areas of expertise

Professional information

  • 2026 -: Advocate reviewer, Session & Justiciary Papers
  • Nov 2025: Re-elected to Faculty Council
  • Nov 2024: Elected to Faculty Council
  • Oct 2022 – : Re-appointed Standing Junior Counsel to the Scottish Government
  • March – Sep 2022: Appointed Counsel to the Scottish Covid Inquiry
  • 2018 – Feb 2022: Appointed Standing Junior Counsel to the Scottish Government
  • 2007: Called to the Bar
  • 2000 – 2006: Solicitor, Maclay Murray & Spens (including traineeship)
  • 2000: LLB Ordinary & Diploma in Legal Practice, University of Edinburgh
  • 1997: M.A. (Hons), Classics, University of St. Andrews
Professional experience

Miranda is an experienced senior junior counsel with a substantial practice in commercial and public law. She called to the bar in 2007 and is ranked in Chambers UK for construction, a core area of her practice. She is frequently instructed in complex and high-value disputes relating to buildings and infrastructure projects. Miranda also regularly advises and appears in public law cases, acting for government and public bodies. 

In the construction and engineering field, Miranda has been engaged in cases relating to the Edinburgh Trams, the Glendoe hydro-electric project and Hairmyres Hospital. In public law, Miranda was junior Counsel to the Lord Advocate in relation to the malicious prosecution cases arising from the take-over of Rangers Football Club. As a Standing Junior to the Scottish Government, she has taken on numerous and varied cases including matters relating to the rights of biological fathers in the Children’s Hearing system and serious crime prevention orders. 

Notable cases

Construction and Engineering

  • Leonardo Hotel Management (UK) Ltd v Galliford Try Building and Building Design Partnership Limited [2024] CSOH 43: Claim for alleged defects arising at the Leonardo Hotel in Aberdeen. Decision followed a debate in relation to prescription.
  • Loretto Housing Association Ltd v Cruden Building and Renewals Ltd and Others, [2019] CSOH 78; 2019 G.W.D. 35-556: Multi-party dispute arising from the refurbishment of an old hospital building in Glasgow, including Outer House decision in relation to prescription.
  • Loretto Housing Association Ltd v Zenith: Professional negligence claim arising from investigations into defects in a refurbished hospital building in Glasgow.
  • SP Power Systems Ltd v Prysmian Cables and Systems Ltd: Action for damages arising from the laying of electricity circuits and cables in Edinburgh.
  • Prospect Healthcare (Hairmyres) Ltd v Keir Build Ltd, 2018 S.C. 569 and [2017] CSOH 112: £10m dispute arising from the development of Hairmyres hospital, including Inner House decision relating to the application of expenses in third party proceedings.
  • Hochtief Solutions AG v Andritz Hydro GmbH: Commercial proceedings arising out of collapse of a tunnel forming part of a hydro-electric scheme.

Public Law

  • A, Petitioner [2025] CSIH 9 (Inner House); [2024] CSOH 106 (Outer House): Petition for Judicial Review of a decision of the Children’s Hearing relating to the participation rights of the petitioner, the father.
  • Imran Ahmad v The Lord Advocate (No.2) 2024 S.L.T. 747; Imran Ahmad v The Lord Advocate [2024] CSOH 23; David Grier v The Lord Advocate 2021 S.L.T. 371, 2021 S.L.T. 833 and [2022] CSOH 2; David Whitehouse v Chief Constable and the Lord Advocate [2021] CSOH 33; Paul Clark v Chief Constable and the Lord Advocate (2020); Charles Green v Lord Advocate: Cases of malicious prosecution in relation to the arrest and prosecution of individuals in connection with the takeover of Rangers Football club
  • Duff & Phelps v Lord Advocate: Case of misfeasance in public office in relation to the arrest and prosecution of individuals in connection with the takeover of Rangers FC.
  • BDL Shetland Operations Ltd against a Decision of the Scottish Ministers: Statutory appeal in relation to a planning decision of the Scottish Ministers’ Reporter (2020)
  • Transport Scotland: Dispute with Aberdeen Roads Ltd arising out of a DBFO Agreement for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (2019)
  • Transport Scotland: Dispute with Scot Roads Ltd arising out of the expansion of the M8, M73 and M74 (2019)

Commercial Law

  • City of Edinburgh Council v DLA Piper: professional negligence claim arising from advice given in relation to the Edinburgh Tram project (2026).
  • Transport Scotland: Dispute with Aberdeen Roads Ltd arising out of a DBFO Agreement for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (2019)
  • Transport Scotland: Dispute with Scot Roads Ltd arising out of the expansion of the M8, M73 and M74 (2019)

Inquiry work

  • Scottish Covid Inquiry: Counsel to the Inquiry.
Directories
  • Chambers UK Bar – Recommended as leading junior in Construction (Band 2)
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