Dominic Scullion

Year of Call 2020

Dominic practises in the fields of public law, health and safety, and reparation.  He called to the Bar in 2020, having qualified as a solicitor in 2012 and as a solicitor advocate in 2016. 

In his public law practice, Dominic has been instructed in a broad range of matters including: human rights; prison law; freedom of information; education law; public law as it relates to the protection of children; statutory interpretation in a healthcare context; ECHR compatibility of legislation; and many others.  He has been instructed by a core participant in an ongoing Scottish public inquiry. He has been on the panel of Standing Junior Counsel to the Scottish Government since 2020; and has appeared as an ad hoc Advocate Depute in appeals against sentence.

In his health and safety practice, Dominic has experience of enforcement notice appeals and as a solicitor he was involved in a landmark health and safety appeal to the UK Supreme Court.  He wrote the revised edition of Health and Safety at Work in the Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia (published 2020).  He is currently instructed (with Peter Gray KC) by a duty holder in a forthcoming health and safety prosecution in the High Court of Justiciary.

In his reparation practice, Dominic has acted for insurers, private companies, and individuals in reparation actions (including ‘stress at work’ claims, data breach claims, and claims with a suspected element of fraud).  He has acted for pursuers and defenders.  He is particularly experienced in representing public authorities in actions for damages.

Dominic was a lecturer at the University of Dundee, has tutored at the universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh, and has had many articles and notes published in professional and academic journals. He was a Law Reporter for Session Cases from 2017 to 2022, and is currently a member of the Advisory Board to the Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia.  He is in the process of co-authoring the second edition of An Introduction to Written Pleading with Professor Robert Black KC.

Representative Cases

Public Law

O v Locality Reporter Manager [2022] CSIH 50  - counsel for the Children’s Reporter in appeal to Inner House – habitual residence – request to transfer proceedings to other Member State under Brussels II bis

Avaaz Foundation v Scottish Ministers 2022 SLT 334 counsel for the Scottish Ministers (with Ruth Crawford QC) – judicial review – proceeds of crime – unexplained wealth orders – role of the Lord Advocate)

R v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland 2022 SLT 793 counsel for Chief Constable (with Maria Maguire QC) in judicial review – disciplinary proceedings

McCue’s Guardian v Glasgow City Council 2021 SC 107 - counsel for the public interest intervener, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, in a reclaiming motion before the Second Division– judicial review – alternative remedy – whether petition for judicial review competent-

Beggs v Scottish Information Commissioner 2019 SC 247 - appeared for respondent in appeal to First Division – freedom of information – vexatious requests

ABC v Principal Reporter and the Lord Advocate 2019 SC 186 - appeared for Principal Reporter (with Gerry Moynihan QC) in appeal to First Division – compatibility of relevant person status in the Children’s Hearings system

Health & Safety

HM Inspector of Health & Safety v Chevron North Sea Ltd 2018 SC (UKSC) 132 - instructing solicitor – health and safety – prohibition notices – admissibility of evidence -

Inquiries

Inquiry into the death of William Hume (3 day FAI, Sheriff McCrossan, Peterhead, 2019)

Inquiry into the death of Raygen Merchant (6 day FAI, Sheriff Mundy, Falkirk, 2018)

Inquiry into the death of Colin Penrose (14 day FAI, Sheriff Principal Turnbull, Glasgow, 2017)

Inquiry into the death of Jason Jackson (9 day FAI, Sheriff Foulis, Perth, 2016/2017)

Reparation

Morrison v Mapfre Middlesea Insurance plc [2022] SLT 1131 – counsel for reclaimer (with Alasdair McKenzie KC) in reclaiming motion before First Division – state immunity – separate entities – whether acting in exercise of sovereign authority

Ramsay v Chief Constable and Lord Advocate [2022] SAC EDI-A624-19 – unreported – counsel for Lord advocate in appeal to Sheriff Appeal Court against decision of sheriff to dismiss damages action at debate – damages sought in connection with Crown’s investigation into alleged criminality

McCann v Dumfries & Galloway Council 2021 SC EDIN 36 - counsel for the pursuer in occupiers’ liability case against local authority

Daniel Kaizer v Scottish Ministers 2018 SC 491 (instructing solicitor – liability of prison authorities for assault by one prisoner on another)

Contact Us

  • Compass Chambers
    Parliament House
    Edinburgh
    EH1 1RF