Thursday, September 4th, 2025
Gordon Balfour KC, Emma Toner KC and Yvonne Waugh KC appointed as Senior Counsel
We are delighted to announce the appointments of new silks Gordon Balfour KC, Emma Toner KC and Yvonne Waugh KC.
Gordon, Emma and Yvonne were among 14 new King's Counsel appointed by His Majesty The King on the recommendation of First Minister John Swinney.
The rank of King’s Counsel is generally reserved for those who have distinguished themselves in practice in the Supreme Courts. Advocates and Solicitors with Rights of Audience in the Supreme Courts are eligible to apply to the Lord Justice General, Scotland’s senior judge. Before making nominations to the First Minister, the Lord Justice General consults other judges, the Lord Advocate, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates and the President of the Law Society of Scotland.
Gordon is primarily instructed to act on behalf of insurance clients in personal injury disputes. He has extensive experience in high value claims arising out of catastrophic injury (both spinal and brain injury); functional pain disorders; fatal accidents; and industrial disease. He is particularly skilled in the quantification of damages and has given several seminars on the application of the Ogden Tables.
Emma's principal areas of practice are regulatory crime and Fatal Accident Inquiries. She has extensive experience of cases brought under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Road Traffic Act 1988. She is regularly instructed in the High Court of Justiciary and Sheriff Courts across Scotland and has conducted a wide range of trials, under both statute and common law, including cases involving financial crime. Emma has been instructed in many of the most significant Fatal Accident Inquiries and Public Inquiries in recent years and has appeared on behalf of companies, public bodies, professionals and private individuals. Her clients have included health boards, health care professionals, Police Scotland, local authorities, aircraft manufacturers, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland and the Care Inspectorate. She is presently instructed in the Scottish Hospitals Public Inquiry and the UK and Scottish Covid Inquiries.
Yvonne specialises in reparation and represents both defenders and pursuers in the Court of Session and Sheriff Courts. She has particular experience of clinical negligence cases where she is regularly instructed in cases relating to birth injuries, delayed diagnosis and many others. Yvonne has vast experience in all areas of personal injury litigation including industrial disease, employers’ liability, road traffic accidents, catastrophic injury and fatal cases. She is experienced in dealing with cases arising from the oil and gas, construction and insurance sectors.
Compass Practice Manager Gavin Herd said "We are delighted for Gordon, Emma and Yvonne on their appointments which are richly deserved. They are all excellent Counsel who are held in very high regard. Their appointments will strengthen our offering across our core areas of practice. We wish them all the very best in their careers as Senior Counsel".
Full details of all of the appointments can be found here.
