Stephanie is a Partner in our litigation and dispute resolution team specialising in property disputes, primarily in the rural and residential sectors as well as handling a number of real estate disputes. She also advises private clients in relation to a variety of contentious matters, including challenges to wills and neighbour disputes.
Stephanie’s property disputes practice focuses particularly on matters surrounding title conditions (servitudes and burdens), public rights of responsible access (the right to roam), boundary disputes and nuisance claims. She is also a specialist in crofting law, supporting clients active in the renewable sector as well as land owners.
Her expertise, however, extends to the full range of disputes that can arise in the rural sector such as those concerning family farming partnerships, damages claims and debt recovery.
Stephanie is also experienced in a plethora of contentious matters affecting private clients, including challenges to wills, the removal of executors and trust variations as well as neighbour disputes. Named as a “rising star” by Legal 500 in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 in the contentious trusts and probate category, she was recommended by the Directory for disputes on the validity of wills with the directory noting that she “is a pleasure to deal with and gives high level insight”.
Whilst her focus is on resolving disputes without the need for formal action, Stephanie has experience of alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and Stephanie manages disputes in the Court of Session, sheriff courts, the Lands Tribunal for Scotland and the Scottish Land Court. She has dealt with a number of cases which have had the benefit of litigation funding, including before and after the event insurance.
She plays an active role in Shepherd and Wedderburn's Knowledge Management initiative to continually improve the firm’s service and add value for clients, and is a delict tutor at the University of Edinburgh and a mentor on Heriot-Watt University’s student mentoring team.
