In the News

Cllr Fiona Higgins has won a judicial review against the Standards Commission for Scotland, represented throughout by Professor Peter Watson, Solicitor Advocate and Sole Equity Partner at PBW Law. The case concerned the Commission's refusal to admit thirteen documents Cllr Higgins wished to rely on at a disciplinary hearing into an alleged breach of the Councillors' Code of Conduct. Lord Sandison ruled that seven of these documents had been unlawfully excluded, identifying si

Scottish legal firm PBW Law has once again been recognised as a leader in Police Law in the prestigious Chambers UK 2026 directory. For the third consecutive year, the firm has received a UK-wide ranking for Police Law: Mainly Defendant, reaffirming its position as the leading Scottish firm defending the rights of individual police officers. The Chambers rankings recognise PBW Law’s continued excellence in representing police officers and related bodies in fatal accident inqu

Scottish legal practice PBW Law has announced the promotion of Michael McKitrick to Partner, recognising his outstanding contributions to the practice. At the time of his promotion, Michael, who is 30 years old, is one of the youngest solicitors in Scotland to achieve partnership status. Michael began his professional journey with PBW Law in 2019, working part-time while completing his diploma at the University of Strathclyde. Prior to this, he studied for his LLB at the Univ

Professor Peter Watson, legal representative for the late RAF pilot Flight Lieutenant Richard Cook who died in the 1994 Chinook crash, today issued a strong statement backing the families of all those who lost their lives in the tragedy. The crash on 2 June 1994 claimed the lives of 29 individuals, including 25 senior intelligence and security personnel, and quickly became mired in controversy due to allegations of pilot error. Following 17 years of campaigning and an indepen

Professor Peter Watson, Solicitor Advocate of PBW Law and President of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences (BAFS), delivered a thought-provoking keynote at the prestigious King’s Forensics conference, co-hosted by BAFS, Inside Justice, and the King's Institute for Artificial Intelligence. The event brought together experts from diverse disciplines to explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in reshaping the justice system. As President of BAFS

Every police constable in Scotland must now hold and maintain vetting clearance, and can be re-vetted throughout their career. For officers who joined under a very different regime, this is one of the most significant changes to the terms of police service in a generation. Until recently, officers were vetted on entry to the service, on re-entry, and when seeking higher clearance for specialised roles or ranks. Vetting was administered by policing organisations themselves rat

The leading Scottish lawyer who represented the British victims of the Lockerbie disaster, the UK’s deadliest terror attack, has called on the Trump administration to release files held by specialist agencies in the US related to the tragedy. In a letter to Matthew Palmer, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy to the UK, Professor Peter Watson, who served as the secretary of the Lockerbie Disaster Group which was a collective of legal representatives advocating for the Britis

Scottish legal firm PBW Law has promoted Michael McKitrick to senior solicitor, highlighting the significant contribution he has made to the firm since commencing his traineeship. Michael began his professional journey with PBW Law in 2019 when he worked part-time for the firm whilst completing his Diploma in Legal Practice at the University of Strathclyde. Prior to this, he studied at the University of Stirling, graduating with a First Class LLB (Hons) Degree in Law. He then

The relationship between mental health and criminality is complex and multifaceted. Last week the PBW Law team attended an event hosted by the British Academy of Forensic Sciences (BAFS) and The Forensic Network to discuss what is working and what needs to change. A group of experts from various sectors – such as legal, healthcare and criminal justice – came together to discuss issues such as mental health services in prison and court settings to managing and preventing tra

Scottish legal firm PBW Law has been recognised again as a leader in Police Law in the latest edition of the prestigious Chambers UK 2025 directory. For the second year in a row, the firm has received a ranking for its expertise in Police Law: Mainly Defendant, maintaining its position from last year. The firm’s senior partner, Peter Watson, also secured an individual lawyer ranking, moving up a band from last year. The rankings are in recognition of PBW Law’s work in represe

Families who lost loved ones in the Covid-19 outbreak at Home Farm Nursing Home on Skye have been waiting over four years for answers as the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s (COPFS) investigation continues. Civil litigation has been raised on behalf of four bereaved families who are represented by PBW Law to address the failings at the care home and is pending whilst a decision on criminal charges is made. In September 2020, COPFS said its investigation was ongoin

The University of Strathclyde has awarded Professor Peter Watson with an executive leadership award. Established in 2019 by Professor Sir Jim MacDonald, Principal and Vice Chancellor, the Strathclyde Executive Leadership Award (STELAR) acknowledges excellence in leadership across the university’s global alumni community. Peter Watson, who owns Scottish-based law firm PBW Law and is now a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde, graduated in 1975, where he studied

Scottish-based firm PBW Law has appointed a new solicitor, Regan Wallace, to join its growing team. Regan holds a First Class LLB (Hons) degree from the University of Dundee and obtained his Diploma in Professional Legal Practice from the University of Strathclyde. Whilst at university he received various awards, including ‘The Law Society of Scotland Prize for Overall Merit’ and ‘The Family Law Association Prize for Family Law’. During his legal traineeship, Regan gained inv

Professor Peter Watson, Solicitor Advocate and owner of PBW Law, has been appointed as President of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences (BAFS). Professor Watson takes on this role from previous President Tracy Alexander FKC, Director of Forensic Services for the City of London Police. BAFS is a charitable organsiation that aims to encourage study, improve practice and advance knowledge in forensic science and forensic medicine for public benefit. It provides a forum to e

This year PBW Law has received a coveted ranking for Police Law in the prestigious Chambers UK 2024 directory, as well as an individual ranking for Professor Peter Watson. ​ The rankings within the directory, delivered by independent legal research company Chambers and Partners, are the definitive mark of excellence for law firms and solicitors across the UK. ​ PBW Law was awarded the two rankings in recognition of its work in representing police officers in fatal accident in

27th July 2022 A window and glass manufacturer owned by Sandy and James Easdale has won a court battle against a Greenock based window installer after it failed to fulfil a purchasing contract agreed between the companies. Inverclyde Windows Manufacturing Ltd entered into a legally binding agreement to exclusively purchase all its glass from Supaseal Glass Ltd, owned by the brothers, in December 2015. The contract, which ran for five years until 31 December 2020, was found

29th April 2022 Families who lost loved ones to Covid-19 in Scotland’s care homes say they are considering legal action following a High Court ruling in England which found the UK Government’s policy on discharging untested patients into care homes was unlawful. Legal firm PBW Law is representing many of the families in Scotland whose relatives died in care homes due to the failure of individuals, institutions and the Scottish Government. The firm says that the decision at th

15th February 2022 No business, large or small, can ignore the risks and realities of cyber crime – it is a critical issue that affects every industry. As firms increasingly go digital, so too does crime and the attacks have, in turn, become more sophisticated. ​ From email, SMS or voice phishing, social engineering, email spoofing, invoice hijacking, malware, ransomware, viruses, website hacking and more – cyber attacks can take many shapes and forms. ​ The legal sector is u

07th January 2022 Harry died aged just nine months old as a direct result of negligence by his trusted groomer. We successfully settled his owner’s claim for economic loss, but Harry’s heartbroken family are still tortured by the knowledge of his suffering. Now Harry’s owner Lisa is raising awareness of the dangers of heated cage-dryers and the lack of any legal requirement for groomers to tell dog-owners about them. ​ Harry Harry went to his forever home with Lisa when he wa

03rd December 2021 “Error is the price we pay for progress.” ― Alfred North Whitehead ​ Researchers around the world for years have studied the effects of disasters and public health emergencies on policing organisations. ​ The core question now, during this acute pandemic, is what short-term and long-term recommendations have arisen from all this research, and how can we use it to navigate the road ahead. ​ Good research takes a while, so there isn’t much out there yet on pa