Stephanie is a Partner in our litigation and dispute resolution team specialising in property disputes, primarily in the rural and residential sectors, as well as real estate disputes. Her practice focuses particularly on matters surrounding title conditions (servitudes and burdens), public rights of responsible access (the right to roam), boundary disputes and nuisance claims. She is also a specialist in crofting law, supporting clients active in the renewable sector as well as land owners.
Stephanie’s expertise extends to the full range of disputes arising in the rural sector such as those concerning family farming partnerships, damages claims and debt recovery.
Stephanie is also experienced in a plethora of contentious matters affecting private clients, including challenges to wills, the removal of executors and trust variations as well as neighbour disputes.
Whilst her focus is on resolving disputes without the need for formal action, Stephanie has extensive experience of alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and Stephanie manages disputes in the Court of Session, sheriff courts, the Lands Tribunal for Scotland and the Scottish Land Court. She has managed a number of cases which have had the benefit of litigation funding, including before and after the event insurance.
She plays an active role in the firm’s Knowledge Management initiative to continually improve the firm’s service and add value for clients, and is a delict tutor at the University of Edinburgh and a mentor on Heriot-Watt University’s student mentoring team.
Stephanie has considerable experience in the interpretation of property contracts, including missives, leases, assignations and deeds of variation. She aims to resolve clients' disputes without the need for court action but has experience in the sheriff courts and Court of Session, as well as the Lands Tribunal and Land Court, and can pursue and defend actions in these courts, where appropriate. Recently, Stephanie has provided training to clients and contacts on dilapidations litigation and wayleaves.
Stephanie also has wide-ranging commercial litigation experience. She recently played a key part in a team advising a major UK utility in an investigation into its complaint resolution, call-handling and billing processes, during and following the utility’s implementation of a new IT system. She also regularly advises in relation to interpretation of contractual provisions and breach of contract claims, and has recently provided training to clients and contacts on the impact of the Supreme Court's decision in Arnold v Britton [2015] UKSC 36.
