Susanne Tanner KC (Scot)

Clinical Negligence

Susanne is regularly instructed in clinical negligence claims, both by individual pursuers (claimants) and by the Central Legal Office of the NHS in Scotland in relation to clinical negligence cases, including fatal cases.

Her healthcare practice includes advocacy and advisory work. Her wider practice includes a large number of complex and high value personal injury cases. She is able to handle large volumes of documents and she is skilled at dealing with expert medical evidence.

She sits as a part-time tribunal judge in the First-tier Tribunal (Health and Education) Chamber.

She is a part-time lecturer at the University of Edinburgh in the law of delict (tort).

Selected Cases

• MacFarlane v Lothian Health Board (2019-ongoing) – for the pursuer (claimant), in a Court of Session civil claim for damages for injuries caused at birth.
• Coventry v Tayside Health Board (2017) – for the CLO of the NHS (defendant) in a Court of Session civil claim for damages for injuries sustained during an operation to the patient’s foot. Advice on valuation of claim.
• Marshall v Forth Health Board (2016) – for the CLO of the NHS (defendant) in a Court of Session civil claim for damages by the wife and executrix of the deceased in a fatal case.
• Sanderson v Lanarkshire Health Board (2016) – for the CLO of the NHS (defendant) in a Court of Session civil claim brought by the relatives of the deceased in a fatal case.
• Waller v Forth Valley Health Board (2015) – for the CLO of the NHS (defendant) in a Court of Session civil claim brought by the wife of the deceased in a fatal case.
• Macfarlane v Lothian HB (2019-) – Senior Counsel for Pursuer in ongoing clinical negligence action relating to injuries sustained by a child at birth. Ongoing with proof to be fixed.

News

• Susanne Tanner KC has been appointed as arbitrator for Motor Insurers’ Bureau cases for untraced and uninsured drivers
• Susanne Tanner KC of Crown Office Chambers appointed by SSSC as a Legally Qualified Chair

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Qualifications

• LLB (Hons) First Class Hons, University of Edinburgh (1996)
• Dip LP, University of Edinburgh (1997)
• Lord Reid Scholarship, Faculty of Advocates (2000)
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (2019)
• Diploma in Advanced Trial Skills, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 2011
• Advocate Depute (High Court Prosecutor), Crown Office, Scotland – 2011-ongoing
• First-tier Tribunal chair (legal member) – Housing and Property Chamber (2016-)
• First-tier Tribunal chair (legal member) – Health and Education Chamber (2018-)
• Lecturer, LLM in Sexual Offending and the Law, University of Edinburgh
• Lecturer, Criminal Law, Delict (Tort) and the Law of Evidence, LLB, University of Edinburgh
• Stable Director (Head of Chambers), Ampersand Advocates, Scotland, 2019-
• Board Member, Faculty Services Limited, 2019-
• Executive Editor of Green’s Scottish Education Manual, Thomson Reuters, 2014-

Memberships

• Fellow of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• Global Ambassador for the Scottish Arbitration Centre
• Member of the Faculty of Advocates’ Dispute Resolution Service (Arbitration)
• Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers
• Member of Women in Law Scotland
• Member of Women in the Law UK
• Member of ‘Spaces for Voices’ (a network for gender equality in law)