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Simon Di Rollo QC

Queen's Counsel : 2002 Year Of Call : 1987 Areas of practice Criminal Law Fatal Accident Inquiry Health And Safety Law Medical/Clinical Negligence Law Personal Injury Law Professional Negligence Law

Summary

In Simon Di Rollo QC's first years at the bar he developed a wide-ranging practice in both the Court of Session (Outer and Inner House) and the High Court (at first instance and appeal). Since 2000, he has been engaged in civil work, principally, in the Court of Session. His main areas of practice are health and safety, personal injuries, professional negligence, human rights and devolution.

Experience

Between 1997 and 2000 Simon Di Rollo served as an Advocate Depute (prosecutor in the High Court). In Crown Office he was involved in many of the early cases involving Devolution and Human Rights. He has conducted numerous cases on behalf of the Crown in the Court of Appeal. He has appeared in all of the major courts including the House of Lords and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. He has prosecuted before the General Medical Council and represented professional persons before disciplinary tribunals. He has also represented interested parties at numerous Fatal Accident Inquiries.

Professional appointments

• Advocate Depute 1997 to 2000
• Member of Sheriff Court Rules Council 2002 to date
• Member of the Reference Group for the Review of Legal Aid 2004
• Member of the working party and principal author of the Guidance on the Examination of Children in Court (2003 - Scottish Executive)

Additional information

• Stable Director Ampersand 2006 to 2009
• Director of Faculty Services 1995 to 1998 and 2006 to 2009
• Member of the Dean's Council 1995 to 2000
• Member of the Faculty Council 1993 to 1998
• Advocacy Training Instructor 1995 to date

Selected reported cases

• Smith V Bank of Scotland 1997 SC (HL) 111 (House of Lords) - Leading case concerning the requirement to exhibit good faith in the law of contract - in this case a bank has to provide separate advice to spouses when granting increased borrowing over matrimonial home
• LORD ADVOCATE'S REFERENCE NO 1 OF 2000 2001 JC 143 (for the Crown) concerning the legality of the deployment of the Trident system under international law
• Brown v Stott 2001 S.C. (PC) 43 JCPC (Judicial Committee) First real test of the Human Rights/Devolution legislation. Leading case in relation to the privilege against self incrimination
• Millar v Dickson [2002] 1 WLR 1615 JCPC (Judicial Committee) Important decision concerning the right to an in independent and impartial tribunal and waiver of the right to a fair trial
• Buchanan v Maclean 2002 SC (PC) 1 JSPC 1 (Judicial Committee) Another leading case concerning the right to a fair trial under Article 6
• Ho, Ho, Hong and Chin v Lord Advocate 2004 SC 1 (Court of Session) - An early decision under the civil recovery legislation introduced by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
• Principal Reporter, Petitioner 2006 S.L.T. 1090 (Court of Session) - important decision concerning the definition of a "relevant person" under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995

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