John West
John is an Associate with SKO. He is currently ranked as a 'Star Associate' in the Chambers & Partners UK Guide 2020 and commended for his "empathetic approach and level-headedness." Clients regularly comment on how much they have valued his sensitive and professional approach. He has a particular gift for demystifying, and dealing pragmatically with, complex legal issues.
John works with individuals as lead solicitor and in multi-disciplinary teams on larger and more complex cases. His practice covers the whole range of family law matters and he also advises on privacy and reputation management issues.
John sits on the Law Society of Scotland Civil Justice Committee and is one of the four solicitors on the Court of Session Family Actions User Group.
John has a particular interest in two technical areas: pensions law as it affects family law matters and he is the main contact in SKO for pension trustee clients; and European Union and Hague Convention family law issues - he has written, and lectured, on the Maintenance Regulation and Brussels II revised and their interaction with domestic UK legislation.
John regularly lectures nationally and internationally on family law issues. He has lectured for, amongst others, the International Academy of Family Lawyers, Law Society of Scotland and CLT. John also regularly writes on Scots family Law. He is the co-author of the chapter on Scots family law in the Thomson Reuters Practical Law Global Guide to the International Relocation of Children.
John was the first Student Director of the University of Edinburgh's Free Legal Advice Centre and then latterly on its board. He continues as supervising solicitor to help the Centre, which is there to support the community and enhance the learning experience of students