Susanne Tanner KC

Practice Areas

Dual qualified, Scotland and England & Wales. Susanne took Silk in 2016, having called in 2000. She specialises in independent investigations, reviews, inquiries, public law and arbitration.

She has developed considerable expertise across civil and criminal practice and held a public appointment from the Lord Advocate as Assistant Principal Crown Counsel, one of the country's senior prosecutors (2021-24). She is ranked as a leading Silk in public inquiries & fatal accident inquiries, independent investigations and administrative & public law.

Currently chairing the Sexual Offences Review, considering how the Crown in Scotland deals with sexual offences (2021-).

Chaired the high profile independent ‘Sean Bell inquiry’ into allegations of sexual abuse by a senior local authority employee (2020-21) and an independent review of a local authority's whistleblowing and organisational culture (2020-21), in which her recommendations led to wholesale changes being implemented by local government.

Senior counsel for core participants in Scottish Covid Inquiry (2024-) and Scottish Hospitals Inquiry (2022-).

Fee paid tribunal judge and regulatory chair in housing, education and social services cases.

Regularly appointed as arbitrator in domestic and international arbitrations.

Academic, University of Edinburgh.

Career

• University of Edinburgh, LLB (First Class Honours), 1996.

• Called to the Bar (Scotland), 2000.

• Took Silk (Scotland), 2016.

• Head of Chambers, Ampersand Advocates, Scotland, 2019-2021.

• FCIArb, 2019.

• Called to the Bar (E&W), 2019.

• Appointed Assistant Principal Crown Counsel, Scotland, 2021-24.

Professional Memberships

FCIArb,

Female Fraud Forum

Publications

'Sean Bell' Inquiry Report 2021,

CEC Whistleblowing Review Report 2021,

Editor, Scottish Education Manual.