Jointly headed by Jennifer Jack and James McMorrow, Harper Macleod LLP acts for public and private sector clients, government bodies and civil servants on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious parliamentary and public law issues, including legislative drafting, statutory interpretation and judicial reviews. Jack, based in Edinburgh, takes point on contentious matters and regularly represents clients in court challenges and disputes. McMorrow advises on commercial and public law issues from the Glasgow office. They are supported by senior associate Calum Gee, who is described as 'one to watch for the future.'
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team is unusual in that it regularly acts for petitioners AND respondents whereas the tradition in Scotland has usually been to focus on one or the other.’
‘Jennifer Jack and Calum Gee are a winning team. Their expertise and determination make them highly sought after by petitioners and by public bodies. They really stand out in their knowledge and experience.’
'Calum Gee - one to watch for the future. He would make an excellent partner. Calm and friendly with an enviable ability to distill complex information into easy to read summaries for busy clients. He could not have been more understanding and supportive. Five stars!'
Key clients
- The Scottish Government/Scottish Ministers
- Boundaries Scotland
- The Musicians Union
- Bord Na Gaidhlig
- Avaaz Foundation
- Greenpeace UK
- Glasgow City Council
- Dion Alexander/ Highlands & Islands Housing Associations Affordable Warmth (HIHAAW) group
- Redress Scotland
Work highlights
- Acting for the Musicians Union on the drafting of new UK legislation and explanatory notes for the bill.
- Appointed by the Scottish Government to support the Scottish Ministers’ participation as a core participant in the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry.
- Advising Boundaries Scotland ahead of the commencement of its review of Scottish electoral boundaries, constituencies and regions.
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Harper Macleod LLP
Partner
Jennifer leads our public law litigation and public inquiries practice across Scotland. Jennifer is an experienced lawyer who leads a team of lawyers focussing on public, administrative and constitutional law; public inquiries; civil liberties & human rights; and disputes involving the public sector and government (national and local). Jennifer works closely with her clients, taking a pragmatic approach to finding the best solutions for them.
With long-standing recognised specialist expertise in public law and disputes involving public bodies (including government), Jennifer has significant experience of advising and representing clients on public, regulatory and constitutional law issues, including in Judicial Review and Appeals against decisions of a wide range of public authorities. Jennifer draws upon this practical litigation experience when advising clients on statutory/regulatory obligations and wider reputation management.
Jennifer has an outstanding record of success in winning cases for government bodies, regulators, companies, campaign groups and individuals, in court and representing their interests at public inquiries. She is one of a handful of Scottish solicitors with experience of litigating in the Scottish Courts, UK Supreme Court and Court of Justice of the European Union.
Jennifer advises clients on legislation and statutory interpretation, the powers and duties of public bodies, the art of getting decisions right first time and representing clients in situations when decision-making is questioned. The setting might be a Board/committee meeting, investigation, tribunal, court or public inquiry. Decisions could relate to competition /state aid/ procurement, planning/ environmental/ climate change issues, data protection & information law, education matters, looked-after children/ vulnerable adults/ homeless accommodation, or other areas where decisions are made that affect individuals, businesses and communities. Jennifer’s expertise is found in a thorough understanding of the relevant legislative/ regulatory/ procedural frameworks and how to identify and address areas susceptible to challenge.
Jennifer’s thorough understanding of the often legally complex and politically sensitive issues affecting those operating within and engaging with the public sector allows her to give insightful advice, tailored to clients’ specific situations and needs.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Jennifer Jack, James McMorrow