Experience
Andrew works with insurers, self-insured corporates and public bodies to defend them from catastrophic and complex claims in Scotland, and to provide coverage advice. He also defends clients from health and safety prosecutions and represents them at fatal accident inquiries.
Having worked in this field for more than 25 years Andrew is recognised for his expertise and experience in the most complex and high value claims. He works with clients on their Scottish claims strategy, delivering measurable results in terms of reduced indemnity spend and shorter lifecycles.
He acted for the Scottish Government in Thomson v the Scottish Ministers which set the limits on the state's liability for the actions of an independent third party. He also acts for prison authorities, defending prisoner claims, EL claims and at fatal accident inquiries. In 2017 he gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament on the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) Scotland Bill. From 2018 to 2020 he was the Regional Representative for FOIL (the Forum of Insurance Lawyers) in Scotland and he sits on FOIL's large loss sector focus team. He also sits on the Personal Injury Users' Group of the All Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court, and the Civil Justice Committee of the Law Society of Scotland. He is chair of the appeal panel of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme.
Andrew provides training to insurers, public bodies and other professionals on insurance claims and litigation. He contributed to Lord Gill's review on Scottish court reform, and the Taylor review on reform of costs in Scotland. For several years Andrew was a Fiscal for the Law Society of Scotland, prosecuting solicitors for professional misconduct before the Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal. He is occasionally instructed as an expert witness in cases involving solicitors' negligence. For the last five years he has been ranked in Chambers which describes him as "incredibly impressive".
Membership
FOIL (the Forum of Insurance Lawyers).
Sits on the Scottish sector focus team for catastrophic injury.
Former tutor in Civil Court Practice at the University of Edinburgh.