Team

Clare is a Partner and Criminal Solicitor Advocate ranked band 1 (Health and Safety) by Legal 500 and Chambers UK and is described as a Notable practitioner. She has specialised in the field of health & safety for over 13 years and is recognised as one of the leading lawyers in Scotland in this area.

Her particular area of expertise is in the defence of Health & Safety, Environmental, Marine, Road Traffic and other regulatory prosecutions, in both summary and solemn proceedings. Clare also appears regularly on behalf of clients at Fatal Accident Inquiries.

Clients find her a “very useful ally, combining gravitas, excellent subject knowledge and clear, analytical thinking.” Clare is noted for her “calm professionalism and empathy at times of exceptional stress for clients” during which she puts “staff and directors at ease” (Chambers UK). She is also praised for her sensitivity to public relations issues that frequently follow widely reported incidents: “She just ‘gets’ the reputational issues”.

Clare is regularly instructed by her clients in the immediate aftermath of a workplace accident and her expert knowledge, considerable experience and sensitive approach to each case allows her to guide her clients as smoothly as possible through the process from initial attendance at site through to any prosecution or Fatal Accident Inquiry. Her strong links to those in the HSE and the Health & Safety Division of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are invaluable in helping her bring about resolution of cases that find themselves subject to prosecution, and prosecutors and clients alike praise her proactive and reasoned approach to dispute resolution.

Prior to joining BTO, Clare spent a number of years as a Procurator Fiscal Depute at Crown Office and two busy Procurator Fiscals’ offices, prosecuting crime and conducting Fatal Accident Inquiries, including those of a health & safety nature. During this time, she gained considerable court experience, including Sheriff and Jury appearances, particularly with reference to health & safety prosecutions, some of which raised complex legal and Human Rights issues.

As well as being a member of the Society of Solicitor Advocates and Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers, Clare is a member of the Health and Safety Lawyers Association, and sits on their Scottish Committee.

Contact

Email: cbo@bto.co.uk
Phone: 0141 221 8012

Partner in BTO’s top tier Health and Safety, Regulatory and Criminal practice, Vikki is recommended by The Legal 500 and ranked in Chambers UK.

A qualified Solicitor Advocate, she is recognised for her accomplished advocacy skills by both clients and professional colleagues alike. Described as “very thorough and efficient” by clients, with “first class technical skills” she combines a sharp analytical mind and empathetic approach. Clients say she is “extremely diligent, very commercially aware and able to get to the facts of a complicated case without excessive difficulty” (Chambers UK)

She is highly commended in this field for both contentious and non-contentious work. She acts for a number of high profile Insurers and her non-insurer clients range from individuals and small contractors to large multi-national plcs.

Instructed regularly at the outset when a major incident or fatality occurs, she has a wealth of experience in advising clients at all stages, ranging from general advice pre-prosecution, through to representation at interviews under caution with police/MCA/HSE/LA’s/SEPA and the conduct of Tribunals, Trials and/or Fatal Accident Inquiries. This often leads to providing advice post-prosecution on how to improve incident management procedures.

Vikki’s regulatory practice also sees her representing individuals at professional competence and conduct hearings such as the NMC and GMC.

Vikki is a member of the Society of Solicitor Advocates, the Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association, the Scottish Medico-legal Society, Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary lawyers and FOIL.

Contact

Email: vwa@bto.co.uk
Phone: 0141 221 8012

Alasdair is a criminal solicitor advocate with 16 years’ experience in both criminal and civil law.

Alasdair’s experience in criminal casework encompasses acting primarily for large public sector organisations which represent the rights of their members. He also represents private and corporate clients in a number of high profile criminal cases. He provides advice on Health and Safety, regulatory offences including Environmental offences, Bribery & Corruption (including embezzlement, fraud and procurement) & Corporate Manslaughter.

His civil casework background includes Fatal Accident Inquiries, regulatory work, contract disputes and personal injury (including accidents at work) and medical negligence claims, where he has been successful in a number of multi-million pound actions.

High profile litigation claims in which Alasdair’s strategic input has been key include a case which was taken to the House of Lords.

Contact

Email: adg@bto.co.uk
Phone: 0141 221 8012

David is a Criminal Solicitor Advocate specialising in regulatory enforcement, corporate crime, financial crime and serious crime.

His expertise includes acting for accused individuals and companies in respect of alleged health and safety and environmental offences and investigations, serious road traffic offences, high value fraud and money laundering offences and proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. David has acted for professionals, high profile individuals and household-name organisations.

David has considerable advocacy experience representing accused in Courts and Tribunals throughout Scotland. He has significant experience in the preparation of serious, complex and sensitive matters before the High Court, Appeal Court and Supreme Court.

David is also experienced in defending extradition requests to both Category 1 and 2 territories and notably successfully represented the ‘requested person’ in Slovak Republic v Merica.

In 2017 David acted directly for an interested party in the first joint Fatal Accident Inquiry in Scottish legal history under the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 into deaths occurring at the Snowman and Jim Clark Rallies.

David was a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in the Legal 500 ‘Crime’ category 2019 and a ‘Rising Star’ in the ‘Health and Safety’ category in 2020.

David’s professional memberships include the Society of Solicitor Advocates, Health & Safety Lawyers Association, Fraud Lawyers Association, Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers Association and the Scottish Medico-Legal Society.

Contact

Email: dca@bto.co.uk
Phone: 0141 221 8012

Lindsay joined BTO’s thriving Health and Safety, Regulatory and Criminal practice as a newly qualified solicitor in 2012 to specialise in defending regulatory prosecutions under the direction of Partners Clare Bone and Vikki Watt. Following a period of time with an international firm, she returned to the team as an Associate.

Prior to joining BTO, Lindsay trained as a solicitor with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and worked on a number of high profile cases within the Proceeds of Crime Unit. Following her time in Crown Office, Lindsay worked in a busy Procurator Fiscals’ office and has prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases from statutory breaches to common law charges in Court, from early procedural hearings through to trial. Chambers and Partners UK 2014 commented on Lindsay’s appointment to the BTO team, noting that her recruitment from the Crown “has strengthened the firm’s insight into prosecuting bodies”.

Now a dedicated criminal and regulatory defence solicitor, Lindsay has represented clients in a wide range of criminal proceedings. She has also appeared with clients, including medical professionals and companies, in Fatal Accident Inquiries involving both Health and Safety and medical treatment issues.

Having gained experience of appearing as both prosecution and defence in Court, Lindsay is able to consider cases from each perspective and offer sound advice on the prospects of criminal matters at an early stage.

Lindsay is also a Notary Public.

External Appointments

Member of Health and Safety Lawyers Association (HSLA)

Contact

Email: lmn@bto.co.uk
Phone: 0141 221 8012

Amy Anderson is a Senior Solicitor in BTO’s Health & Safety practice. She is based in BTO’s Glasgow office. Amy has experience of acting in regulatory, criminal and civil matters.

Amy joined BTO in 2017. Before joining BTO, Amy completed a varied traineeship with a global full service law firm which included a six-month secondment to the Scottish Government Litigation Division. After completing her traineeship, Amy worked as a Solicitor in the Litigation Team of a Scottish law firm, representing clients in a variety of disputes ranging from commercial contract disputes to medical negligence actions and family matters.

Amy frequently represents clients subject to investigations by regulators, including the Health and Safety Executive and Local Authority Environmental Health Departments. She regularly represents clients at interviews and provides early advice to clients in the immediate aftermath of an incident on the health and safety investigation, enforcement notices and the HSE’s Fee for Intervention Scheme. Where possible, she encourages the early resolution of matters, either by persuading the Crown to discontinue proceedings or by plea negotiation to ensure the best outcome for the client.

Amy represents clients at Fatal Accident Inquiries. She guides clients through the process in a pragmatic and sensitive way, taking all possible steps to minimise any adverse commercial or personal consequences of the proceedings.

Amy has provided health and safety training to both insurer and private clients. She is a member of the Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association.

Contact

Email: aan@bto.co.uk
Phone: 0141 221 8012

Neil is a solicitor within BTO’s highly regarded Regulatory and Criminal Defence Team.

Prior to joining BTO, Neil completed a traineeship at a busy law practice in North Lanarkshire, before moving to one of the best known high street firms in Glasgow to run a busy branch office. Although early in his career, Neil has gained extensive experience representing clients in Sheriff Courts and Hearing Centres throughout Scotland in a wide range of both civil and criminal matters. Neil has also gained valuable experience in the High Court instructing Counsel at trial.

Since joining BTO, Neil has been closely involved in assisting the partners with the investigation, and preparation, of complex and high profile Health and Safety cases. His previous criminal law experience serves to strengthen the team’s combined expertise and having dealt with sensitive cases early on in his career means he is well placed to re-assure clients facing investigation. Under the guidance of our Chambers ranked partners, Neil has developed a keen understanding of the important issues at all stages of a Health and Safety investigation, from the outset to the conclusion.

Neil is also a Notary Public.

External appointments

Neil is a member of the Health and Safety Lawyers Association and the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers.

Contact

Email: nmd@bto.co.uk
Phone: 0141 221 8012