Family/Matrimonial
UK Guide 2025 : Scotland
Band 3
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
(0141) 221 8888About
Provided by Harper Macleod LLP
Our Family Law team is one of the largest of its kind Scotland. It is actively involved in many key cases shaping the development of family law. Our experienced and approachable lawyers can handle all types of enquiries but are becoming recognised for having particular specialist expertise in cases with an insolvency element and child relocation cases, with clients seeking to instruct the team on the basis of reputation in these areas. We are more commonly instructed in particularly high value or complex financial provision cases, including actions in the Court of Session. We have a growing 'Modern Families' practice advising on family creation including surrogacy, assisted reproduction law and adoption services. There are five qualified mediators in the team, offering clients an alternative to court proceedings.
Our team has a unique, Scotland-wide footprint with specialist family lawyers based throughout the country in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Elgin and Lerwick. This allows us to ensure a local offering where needed, delivering a fast, responsive service to clients.
In addition, our team consists of eight Law Society of Scotland accredited specialists, one of whom holds all three family law specialisms, namely: Family Law, Child Law and Family Mediation.
Chambers Review
Harper Macleod is recognised for its broad coverage of family matters, offering expertise in divorces, cohabitation claims and child relocation matters along with prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. The team in Glasgow displays considerable capabilities in cross-border cases and offers trained collaborative lawyers and mediators, in addition to skilled litigators. It also has experience in fertility law and associated issues, including adoption, surrogacy and assisted conception.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"I have always found the solicitors at Harper Macleod to be sensible in their approach and willing to work towards reaching a solution for their clients."
"Their level of communication and keeping me informed of my case has been quite outstanding. The staff I have encountered have made me feel my case is very important them."
"They are people whom you can expect will deal with matters properly and sensibly. They don’t adopt positions that aren’t sustainable, even if the client wants them to."
"I have always found the solicitors at Harper Macleod to be sensible in their approach and willing to work towards reaching a solution for their clients."
"Their level of communication and keeping me informed of my case has been quite outstanding. The staff I have encountered have made me feel my case is very important them."
"They are people whom you can expect will deal with matters properly and sensibly. They don’t adopt positions that aren’t sustainable, even if the client wants them to."
Notable Practitioners
Jenny Smith advises on financial provision issues related to divorce and separation, often involving complex business assets and intra-UK jurisdictional aspects.
"Jenny clearly knows what she's doing, is very efficient and looks at things from all angles, so she is able to give the right advice."
"She manages to keep the client on an even keel and bring about a good outcome."
Karen Gibbons advises across a broad range of family matters, including divorce, cohabitation claims, nuptial agreements and child arrangements. She is an accredited mediator and trained collaborative lawyer.
"Karen is very pragmatic when you deal with her."
Alexis Harper advises clients on divorce and financial provision, with notable strength in both court and ADR proceedings. She also has expertise in wealth protection such as pre- and postnuptial agreements.
"She has a forensic grasp of detail."
"I appreciated Alexis’ honesty, right from the start and throughout the process. She kept me informed and offered unbiased advice."
"She has great knowledge of the law and is robust at negotiating in her clients interests."
Amanda Masson is an experienced family lawyer and accredited mediator. She acts on a range of financial provision disputes and also advises on issues around child relocation. She also has specialist expertise in issues concerning fertility, surrogacy and non-traditional family structures.
"She has a very gentle manner with clients and manages their expectations. When she comes to analysing the law she is quite incisive, so you underestimate her at your own peril."
"Amanda is really excellent and very well organised. She is insightful and able to get to the issues that are of importance to the client."
"She is client-committed, experienced, knows what she's doing and is a safe pair of hands."
Ranked Lawyers at
Harper Macleod LLP
Scotland