MEET THE TEAM

Aamer Anwar

MA(Hons), LLB, DipRCR, Dip LP, NP

For over three decades Aamer has been a tireless advocate of civil liberties, building a fearsome reputation in criminal law and cutting-edge civil liberties law, The best description of Aamer Anwar given by an ex-Guantánamo prisoner:- “In times of fear, hatred and violence it is often very difficult to find people with the courage and the fortitude to fight for the rights of the demonised, downtrodden and marginalised but Aamer Anwar, is one of those people, an avid defender of other’s rights.” Instructed in some of Scotland’s highest profile cases, Aamer has built a reputation for securing results against the odds. He acted in the trial and successful appeal of Scotland’s first Islamist terrorism case HMA- v Siddique and the Ice Cream Wars appeal Campbell & Steel-v-HMA. His international work has meant instruction by the relatives of the deceased Al-Megrahi in the ‘Lockerbie bombing’ appeal, as well as successfully leading his legal team to defend Catalan Minister, Professor Clara Ponsati MEP from extradition to Spain. Aamer leads the legal campaign for the family of Sheku Bayoh who died in police custody, The Public Inquiry is now taking place where our firm acts for the family, but also in the civil action against the Chief Constable. Aamer has led a relentless campaign to improve accountability in light of many deaths in prison custody, which has led to several inquiries, reviews and civil actions. Aamer is the lead solicitor acting on behalf of the Scottish ‘Covid-19 Bereaved families at both the UK Public Inquiry as well as the Scottish one. Aamer has won Lawyer of the year at Legal Awards Scotland as well as Solicitor of the year in the Herald’s Law Awards of Scotland. He has received the Lloyds TSB Jewel award for Professional Excellence as a ‘recognition of his outstanding achievements and a huge impact his work has had UK wide.’ Aamer is a regular media commentator, as well as writing on the wide range of issues such as crime, civil liberties and terrorism. He is also a member of the campaigning advocacy body INQUEST which deals with deaths in state custody, and a member of the International Bar Association. Aamer is a Notary Public registered at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and can speak three different languages, being fluent in English, Urdu and Punjabi.

April AC Meechan

LLB (Hons) Dip LP NP

April heads up our Personal Injury, Civil Action and Public Inquiries Department. She is one of the most experienced personal injury solicitors in Scotland, having worked on behalf of hundreds of accident victims and their families over the past 30 years as well as clinical negligence. Her fields of practice include Fatal Accident Inquiries and Public Inquiries. This includes the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry which is currently ongoing. She is acting for our clients in relation to the forthcoming Scottish and UK Covid Public Inquiry, but also the suicide cases of Katie Allan and William Lindsay at Polmont YOI. April heads our specialist casework department that deals with death in hospitals, police and prison custody, immigration detention, mental health settings and deaths involving multi-agency failings or where wider issues of state and corporate accountability are in question. At the heart of April’s approach is to ensure that the experiences and needs of bereaved people are recognised because to do so means holding the state to account and changing policy and practice to prevent future deaths. She has been instructed in a wide variety of personal injuries litigation in the Sheriff Court, All Scotland Personal Injury Court, the Sheriff Appeal Court, the Outer House and Inner House of the Court of session. April has experience of a wide area of personal injuries litigation to include road traffic accidents, stress at work, accidents at work, public liability and occupiers liability, industrial diseases, where clients have been exposed to for example excessive noise at work, asbestos which has given rise to conditions such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. April has a particular interest in catastrophic cases involving brain, spinal and fatal injuries. She was instructed in the groundbreaking fatal case of McGhee v RJK Building Services. She represented the McGhee family following the death of Mr. McGhee senior. The case set a new standard in Scotland for the award of damages to close relatives following a fatal accident. April also represented a number of individuals in the Glasgow Bin Lorry case. April regularly gives advice to interested groups including professionals and members of various communities. April is known for her sensitivity and compassionate manner with clients and their families, often when they have suffered traumatic injury or loss. April’s focus is always on achieving best outcomes for our clients.

Sarah Murray

LLB (Hons), DipLP, NP

Erin Monaghan

BA (Hons), LLB, Dip LP

Robbie Cole

LLB (Hons), Dip LP, NP

Robbie joined the firm in August 2023. He trained at a high street criminal defence firm and was admitted as a solicitor in 2019. He then joined the business crime and regulation department of a UK wide commercial firm in 2021. At Aamer Anwar and Co, Robbie represents clients at Fatal Accident Inquiries with a particular focus on deaths in custody. He acts for clients in civil actions against the State, complaints against the police, and investigations by the PIRC and IOPC. Robbie also represents clients in criminal courts and police interviews throughout Scotland. Robbie has represented several high-profile clients in criminal investigations. Robbie is part of the team that acts on behalf of Core Participants at the UK and Scottish Covid-19 Public Inquires and the Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry. Robbie is dual qualified as a solicitor in both Scotland and England & Wales.

Shelby McQuade

LLB(Hons), DipLP, NP

Shelby joined Aamer Anwar & Co as a trainee solicitor in January 2023 after completing her Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Edinburgh in 2022. Prior to this, Shelby obtained her LLB (Hons) from the University of Strathclyde. As a Diploma student Shelby excelled in Criminal Advocacy building extensive experience consulting with and advising clients within the University of Edinburgh’s Free Legal Advice Clinic. While at college Shelby followed the Chhokar murder re-trial closely in 2016, sitting in on the majority of hearings where she fostered a passion for justice. In the years since she has shadowed an array of court matters from the Justice of the Peace to the High Court. Shelby has a First Degree black belt in Taekwondo becoming Scottish Champion multiple times and British Champion twice. Shelby was a valued member of the Scottish National Taekwondo team and has travelled the world competing for Scotland internationally.

Rebecca Lyle

LLB (Hons) DipLP NP

Rebecca joined Aamer Anwar & Company as a Trainee Solicitor in November 2022 having completed the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Strathclyde earlier in the year. Previously, Rebecca also obtained from Strathclyde an LLB in Scots and English Law with First Class Honours. As an Honours student, Rebecca undertook vast research on the adversarial and inquisitorial modes of procedure in Scotland and throughout the world – her depth of this knowledge making for a valuable addition to both the Public Inquiry and criminal defence team. Rebecca also has extensive experience in the preparation and management of cases at both summary and solemn level from the Justice of the Peace Court through to the High Court of Justiciary.

Nicola Crielly

Nicola Crielly joined Aamer Anwar & Co in August 2022 as a Paralegal to primarily work alongside Senior Civil Litigation Specialist April Meechan in the Civil Actions and Public Inquiries Department. She currently works supporting the COVID team, primarily taking statements from bereaved family members and assisting with complex personal injury cases the firm is handling at any given moment. Nicola previously worked with Bonnar Accident Law for 17 years, specialising in a wide variety of Personal Injury work, including high-value and complex cases. She dealt with all aspects of pre-litigation work and was responsible for all legal aid applications at Bonnar’s. Nicola studied at Glasgow Caledonian University and completed her BA in Law and Administration Studies and then went on to earn her LLM (with distinction) in European and International Law.

Lynn Hoey

Lynn joined Aamer Anwar & Co. in September 2022 and will be working as April Meechan’s PA in the Personal Injury, Civil Action and Public Inquiries Department. She will be dealing with court administration on complex high-value civil cases.  Lynn will also be providing administrative support on public inquiries. Lynn specialises in civil court litigation administration, with knowledge and experience with Court of Session and All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court cases and procedures. Previously with Bonnar Accident Law, which specialises in personal injury law, Lynn worked as an administrative assistant in 1999 before training as a legal secretary.  She worked with various firm partners and associate solicitors in all areas of personal injury law from minor RTAs to complex high-value fatal accident cases, medical negligence, and industrial disease

Stacey Taylor McSkimming

Stacey Taylor McSkimming joined Aamer Anwar & Co in January 2023 as a paralegal during the exciting expansion of the Civil Litigation Team, primarily working alongside Senior Civil Litigation Specialist April Meechan in the Civil actions and Public Inquiries Department. Stacey has joined the UK and Scottish Covid 19 Team assisting the lead team and bereaved family members. Stacey has 17 years experience of dealing with complex personal injury cases and has achieved many great pre litigation settlements for her clients. Stacey a former Senior Paralegal with Bonnar Accident Law has vast experience in road traffic accidents, workplace injuries, construction industry accidents and occupiers liability. Stacey specialises in high value and complex claims and has a particular interest in medical negligence claims. Stacey graduated in 2003 with BA Legal Studies and started her BSc nursing qualification in 2021 before returning to her allegiance of civil litigation. Stacey is a qualified dance teacher (B.A.T.D) in Stage, Freestyle, and Cheer Pom. She has been dancing since the age of 3 and teaching for 25 years. Stacey is a devoted mother of two boys.