Ampersand Advocates has welcomed Chris Stephen to the stable.
Mr Stephen was called to the Scottish bar in 2022 as a Lord Hope Scholar and is also qualified as a barrister in England & Wales. His practice focuses on administrative and public law (including public inquiries), international law, and commercial and alternative dispute resolution.
Shortly after call, he was appointed standing junior to the advocate general for Scotland in December 2022, with re-appointment in September 2024. In that role he has advised and represented the UK government in matters ranging from immigration judicial reviews to a peerage case before the Lord Lyon. He has also acted as junior counsel to the lord advocate in extradition cases.
He has assisted in several major public inquiries, including the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry and the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry, and he is currently junior counsel to the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry.
He brings substantial international law experience and previously served for over five years as an assistant legal adviser at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, during which time he represented the UK at the United Nations in Geneva and New York and before the International Court of Justice in contentious proceedings. Before coming to the bar, he also worked as a dual-qualified solicitor in London, representing private clients and States across a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters, including arbitrations under bilateral investment treaties (BITs).
Alan Moffat, practice manager, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Chris to Ampersand. His combination of public law expertise, hands-on inquiry work and high-level international experience is of real value to those looking to instruct counsel. He strengthens our offering across government, regulatory and commercial matters, and we look forward to supporting his flourishing practice.”
For enquiries about instructing counsel, please contact the Ampersand Clerking Team: ampersandclerks@advocates.org.uk.