Shepherd and Wedderburn

Commercial, Finance and Insolvency Disputes

Alastair is a partner, head the banking and finance litigation practice and is a recognised specialist in this field. He leads the firm’s specialist finance sector and the asset based finance cross divisional practice group. Alastair has particular interest in professional negligence (insurance litigation), fraud, contentious trust and executries and charity related matters, and has specialist knowledge of consumer credit legislation. Acting for both public and private sector clients, in particular many leading financial institutions, on contentious and non-contentious dispute resolution and risk management issues affords him a wide perspective of the issues at play and an insight that ensures he achieves the best possible outcome. He also advises on wider commercial disputes involving commercial contracts and company law and has extensive experience in all aspects of alternate dispute resolution, representing major clearing banks in multi-party mediations, acting as arbiter’s clerk in contract disputes, representing clients in the preparation of matters for expert determination and raising proceedings using the abbreviated procedure offered by the Commercial Court in both the Sheriff Court and the Court of Session. Alastair’s clients include Portfolio Recovery Associates Inc., Close Brothers Group, Clydesdale Bank plc, HM Revenue and Customs, ScottishPower Group, and KPMG Group.

Trainee – McArthur Stanton Solicitors, 1994-96; assistant – Golds Solicitors, 1996-98; associate – Maclay Murray & Spens, 1998-2004; head of banking litigation – DLA Piper Scotland, 2004-08; partner at Shepherd and Wedderburn 2008 to date. Publications of note: Scottish chapter of ‘International Execution against Judgment Debtors’ published by the Centre for International Legal Studies.

Conversational French.

The Law Society of Scotland Insurance Committee.

The Glasgow Academy; University of Edinburgh (1993 LLB; 1994 diploma in legal practice).

Golf (Western Gailes GC, Ranfurly Castle GC), Rugby Coach (Glasgow Hawks Rugby Club), Glasgow Academicals Club, cycling, running, skiing, reading.