Anderson Strathern welcomes back trio to team

Law firm Anderson Strathern has bolstered its commercial litigation operation with the return of three team members.

From left: Sarah Phillips, Stuart Bevan and Lesley Johnston return to Anderson Strathern. Picture: Jane Barlow

Stuart Bevan, Lesley Johnston and Sarah Phillips have all returned to the firm as part of its strategy for growth in the commercial, insurance and health and safety sectors.

Their arrival follows the appointment in September of commercial litigation partner Jonathan Guy as head of the insurance and health and safety unit.

Phillips returns to the firm as a senior associate in the insurance and health and safety team after a spell at Weightmans. She has more than 17 years’ experience as a defender litigator including in motor, employer and public liability, property damage, disease and fraud cases and has particular expertise in fatal accident inquiries.

Johnston, who trained and qualified with Anderson Strathern and is also a tutor in delictual liability and family law at the University of Edinburgh, returns to the team as an associate having completed a two-year appointment as the law clerk to the Lord President of the Court of Session. She will work in the commercial litigation team with a focus on health and safety.

Bevan also trained and qualified with the firm and returns as a solicitor, concentrating on insurance defender litigation and working on fatal accident inquiries.

Guy said: “I am delighted that Sarah, Lesley and Stuart have returned to Anderson Strathern’s commercial litigation team and joined the insurance and health and safety unit. They are extremely talented solicitors and each bring different and invaluable experience to our growing team.”

Edinburgh-based Anderson Strathern has more than 50 partners and 230 staff. In June, the firm – which also has offices in Glasgow and Haddington – reported an 8 per cent rise in first-half turnover.