Criminal Investigations

Our Specialist Litigation Team is regularly instructed to assist bereaved individuals and families seeking answers to unanswered questions following criminal investigations into the death of loved ones.

Representing bereaved families

We are proud of our record supporting families who have lost a loved one, often in traumatic and disputed circumstances. Our Specialist Litigation Team often liaises with the authorities to secure new or renewed investigations into suspicious deaths, ensuring that serious questions are properly examined, that families are heard, and that the loved one is treated with dignity and respect.

We can assist with:

• Making formal, targeted representations to Police Scotland or to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to request the review or reopening of lines of inquiry and facilitating meetings with key figures such as the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs or the Lord Advocate.
• Engaging with the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner to review police conduct or the thoroughness of earlier inquiries.
• Identifying and presenting new evidence through the commissioning of independent specialists (forensic pathology, digital forensics, scene reconstruction, toxicology) to test or augment existing evidence.
• Making arguments based on the European Convention of Human Rights to ensure the investigation meets the requirements of independence, effectiveness, timeliness, and engagement with the next of kin.
• Seeking to judicially review decisions not to investigate (or to close an investigation), where these are capable of legal challenge.
• Facilitating press communication to raise awareness of the family’s campaign.

Throughout our instruction, we work in a trauma-informed and confidential manner.

We understand that families need clear information, practical options, and steady support - not legal jargon.

Contact our Specialist Litigation Team

If you are a bereaved family seeking answers, contact our Specialist Litigation Team on 0141 429 8166 or by completing our online contact form.