Year of Call: 1994

Year of Silk: 2005

Before coming to the Bar, Brian was a solicitor in private practice in Perth for around ten years. After calling he became a very busy Junior Counsel in the criminal courts both in trials and in the Appeal Court. In 2002 he was appointed as an Advocate Depute and two years later a Senior Advocate Depute. In 2006 he was appointed Principal Advocate Depute having overall practical responsibility for the prosecution of High Court crime in Scotland. During his time in Crown Office he successfully prosecuted many high profile cases: Robbie McIntosh (a 15 year old boy who murdered a lady on the Law Hill in Dundee stabbing her numerous times); Mohammed Atif Siddique (the first Scottish Islamic terrorist); Michael Ross (a Black Watch soldier who, aged 15, shot and murdered a waiter in Orkney); Juan Crispin (a Spanish waiter who murdered a fellow employee in Di Maggios restaurant in Glasgow).

After leaving Crown Office Brian quickly became one of the busiest Senior Counsel in Scotland in both criminal trials and in the Appeal Court. As well as having excellent legal knowledge and finely honed court craft Brian is approachable, friendly and communicates well with everyone from the client to the judge. He has well practised negotiation skills particularly so after his significant spell in Crown Office. As well as continuing to be instructed in Scotland’s highest profile cases he has recently been instructed in equally high profile inquiry work.