SKO Family Law Specialists

Number of partners: 4
Number of lawyers: 11

Firm Overview:
SKO Family Law Specialists is a top tier niche family law practice in Scotland. Founded in 2008, the firm has become the largest boutique team, and is widely regarded as the premier Scottish family law practice, with all partners recognised as leaders in the field in the legal directories. SKO has been top ranked for family law in Scotland in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners guides for over a decade. It has been in the first tier in The Times, ‘Best Law Firms’ Guide, from the first edition. It is the only Scottish firm ranked in the Spears Wealth Management Index and is the home to the only, 'Hall of Fame' practitioner in Scotland in the Legal 500, Rachael Kelsey, who is currently President- Elect of the International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Areas of expertise:
The strength and depth across the practice is unique in Scotland. SKO have unrivalled experience and expertise in high value and financially complex matters and a niche in cases with privacy and reputational issues. The lawyers at SKO have unmatched experience and expertise in matters that have international and intra-UK jurisdictional elements and are particularly known for their work on cases that have novel legal points at stake, as well as acting for individuals in other less common areas of family law, like surrogacy and artificial reproductive technology. There are three lawyers who specialise in child law matters, which often have particularly delicate issues, including public law dimensions, like child abduction, criminal allegations and advisory work for local authorities/councils.

The client feedback to the directories habitually mentions the dedication and sensitivity of the lawyers at SKO, who pride themselves on their careful and faithful representation of clients. The practice is a small, close-knit team of eleven specialist lawyers, who enjoy working collaboratively and practice with an intimate and responsive style.

Many of the matters that SKO assist with span a number of areas of expertise, for example, a HNW divorce where there are child law issues. The lawyers like and respect each other (three of the four partners were at university together) and value the range of skills and approaches that they each bring to cases. SKO is great at building teams that include other professionals for more complex cases, ensuring that the best experts and advisers are brought on board, and that nothing is left to chance.

At SKO the whole is greater than the sum of its parts – the breadth and range of expertise, experience and wisdom means that clients are looked after and supported at times of transition in their private lives.

Key Contacts:  

Jurisdictional Issues:
Rachael Kelsey- [email protected]
Alison Edmondson- [email protected]

HNW Tax & Trusts:
Alison Edmondson- [email protected]
Rachael Kelsey- [email protected]

HNW Divorce & Financial Provision:
Rachael Kelsey- [email protected]
Alison Edmondson- [email protected]
Robert Gilmour- [email protected]

Child Law Matters:
Susan Oswald- [email protected]

Pre-Nups & Post-Nups:
Alison Edmondson- [email protected]
Rachael Kelsey- [email protected]

Surrogacy & ART:
Robert Gilmour- [email protected]
Rachael Kelsey- [email protected]

Novel Areas of Law:
Robert Gilmour- [email protected]

Privacy & Reputation Management:
Rachael Kelsey- [email protected]
Alison Edmondson- [email protected]