Podcasts by Brodies

In our series Life at Brodies, we're getting to know Brodies colleagues as they share their personal experiences and perspectives about working at Scotland's largest legal firm. In this episode, partner Nadine Walton gives us an insight of what it’s like to be an English-qualified lawyer working in a Scottish-headquartered firm. We’re also joined by practice development lawyer Paul Iannetta, who shares his unique perspective as a dual-qualified lawyer. Paul dives deeper into our English training contracts – what they involve, and what future candidates can expect from the experience. For anyone looking for more information on Brodies’ English training contracts, you can visit brodies.com/englishtrainingcontracts.

In our series 'Life at Brodies', we're getting to know Brodies colleagues as they share their personal experiences and perspectives about working at a leading UK law firm. In this episode, legal director Rory Forbes and solicitor Nina Munro discuss their career paths into the real estate team at Brodies, address some misconceptions around what being a real estate lawyer actually involves, and explain how the energy transition is creating new and exciting work for the real estate market.  Wherever you are in your career find out more about making that next step in your journey at Brodies by visiting Brodies.com/careers.

In our series 'Life at Brodies', we're getting to know Brodies colleagues as they share their personal experiences and perspectives about working at Scotland's largest legal firm. Do you want to know what it's like to work in one of the busiest private client teams in Scotland?  In this episode, Iona Clark and Nikki Neal talk about their experience working in the personal law team at Brodies; each sharing their own journey to becoming private client lawyers.  Iona shares her insight into having a private client focused traineeship and Nikki discusses the variety of exciting and complex work which makes each day different. Wherever you are in your career find out more about making that next step in your journey at Brodies by visiting Brodies.com/careers.

In this episode of Podcasts by Brodies, legal experts Emily Pike and Stewart Gibson discuss the subject of inheritance and succession planning, unpacking the findings of an exclusive YouGov survey commissioned by Brodies.  The survey showed that only 25% of respondents have a full estate plan in place— and highlighted a significant gap between awareness of the subject of succession planning and action. Emily and Stewart explore common misunderstandings around inheritance tax, gifting, and intestacy, as well as the emotional barriers preventing families from discussing wealth transfer.  With major inheritance tax reforms set to take effect in April 2026, including new caps on relief for business and agricultural assets, the urgency for proactive estate planning has arguably never been greater. Through real-life examples, Emily and Stewart illustrate the risks of avoiding the conversation and the immense value of early planning, as well as:  key takeaways from Brodies’ latest YouGov survey;   why 58% of individuals haven't spoken to their families about inheritance;   common misconceptions about tax, gifting, and intestacy;   how proactive planning protects both assets and family relationships;   how upcoming inheritance tax changes will impact estate planning; and essential steps to start meaningful wealth transfer discussions.   Access the full survey report via brodies.com/wealthtransfer 

Receiving court papers can be daunting, but understanding what happens next  is essential to resolving the issues at hand. In this episode of Podcasts by Brodies, Carly Forrest and Gemma Nicholson break down everything you need to know about dealing with Scottish court documents, ensuring you can respond effectively and avoid potential pitfalls.   We examine the importance of understanding which court has served the papers, whether you need to respond to the papers and how you respond.   For those defending a court action, we delve into the strategies available, including submitting written defences, challenging claims, and seeking dismissal where appropriate.   If you are interested in the process related to court papers in England and Wales, listen to our podcast 'What do I do if I'm served English court papers?'

Prior to the case of Miss Mary Davidson who died in 1999, the law in Scotland had been that, in the absence of any special facts, a solicitor engaged by a testator in connection with the making of a will could not be said to owe a duty of care to intended beneficiaries.  In England, the law had developed so that such a duty might be said to exist.   Following Miss Davidson's death, the judge reviewed the evolution of the law of negligence over the 20th century, so what was the result?  In this episode, legal experts Tony Jones KC and Jamie Reekie discuss;  what is a will and what do we mean by duty of care in this context? the history of wills in Scotland, when did they first come to exist?  are there any parallels with other cases or is this one unique? the point of contention and why it was significant what point(s) of law changed on the back of these cases? what difference has the case of Miss Davidson made to the law today? The information in this podcast was correct at the time of recording. The podcast and its content is for general information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice.

In this episode we discuss rights to light and the challenges they pose for developers in cities across England and Wales. Lisa Stratford is a legal director at Brodies who specialises in property-related disputes in England and Wales, and Neil Lovell-Kennedy is a chartered surveyor and a rights to light specialist at Proximity. The information in this podcast was correct at the time of recording. The podcast and its content is for general information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice. This episode was recorded on 18/03/25.

In The Case Files, we look back at notable court cases over the last 150 years. In this episode Susie Mountain and Debbie Reekie discuss the issue of the habitual residence of a child in a case related to the separation of a couple who decided to live in different countries. To add further complexity, the case involved parental abduction of the child. In situations like this, a key part of the judgement is to establish where the child is habitually resident, but what does this mean? And what happens if there are questions about whether a child's habitual residence has changed or not? Working out where a child usually lives might seem simple however, with one parent moving to a new country during their separation, and differing versions of events between the mother and father, how was the decision made in this case?

Our family law experts delve into the complexities of international divorces.  Jacqueline Stroud, experienced mediator and litigator and Susie Mountain  solicitor advocate and a trained collaborative lawyer share their insights into navigating the challenges posed by divorces involving multiple countries.  Highlighting the importance of seeking legal advice at an early stage and discussing issues such as jurisdiction, impact of where in the world assets are held, how child contact can be affected and cultural considerations. The information in this podcast was correct at the time of recording. The podcast and its content is for general information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice. This episode was recorded on 05/03/25.

In this episode of The Case Files, Christine O'Neill KC and Clare Bone discuss two relatively recent cases which raised the importance of anyone accused of crimes having access to independent and impartial legal decision-makers,  a right that is protected by article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.   The first case, Clark v Kelly (2004) is about whether it was proper for the clerk in the District Court to give advice in private to the presiding justice of the peace  and the second, Kearney v HMA (2006), raised the issue of whether it was lawful for the Lord Advocate to appoint temporary judges.   Christine and Clare also talk about some of the practical things that have changed in regulatory and disciplinary proceedings as a result of the European Convention becoming a part of UK law in 1998, for example that legal advisers now have to give their advice to judges and decision-makers in front of the parties themselves.  These cases link back to some of the issues about independence and impartiality that Christine discussed in our earlier podcast,  "What do I do if I think my judge is biased?".  

In this episode we discuss the growing popularity of buying and selling Scotch whisky casks, risks of fraud and some advice for buyers. Grant Strachan is a partner at Brodies LLP, with a specialist focus on the food and drink sector, and Vikki Bruce is the founding director of CaskNet, a tech start-up that is building a register for Scotch whisky casks.  The information in this podcast was correct at the time of recording. The podcast and its content is for general information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice. This episode was recorded on 06/12/24.

We dive into the world of mediation and explore how it offers a more flexible, cost effective  and less adversarial way to resolve disputes outside the courtroom when dealing with family law matters. Jacqueline Stroud is a partner in Brodies Family Law team and an expert in mediation and collaboration and Ewan Malcolm is a highly experienced award-winning mediator who is currently chief executive of Relate London, Northwest and Hertfordshire.  The information in this podcast was correct at the time of recording. The podcast and its content is for general information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice. This episode was recorded on 19/12/24.

Family law experts from either side of the England and Scotland border, Victoria Varty, senior associate at Brodies and Louisa Bestford, senior associate at Hay & Kilner discuss the differences between English and Scottish courts in considering children's voices in family disputes. Covering what age a child is typically able to express a view in family disputes; the weight their view has on decisions made about them; the role of Children's Guardians or Child Welfare Reporters in representing the child's voice in court and how the view of the child can be gathered through ways such as play. The information in this podcast was correct at the time of recording. The podcast and its content is for general information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice. This episode was recorded on 20/11/24.

In our new series Life at Brodies, we're getting to know Brodies colleagues as they share their personal experiences and perspectives about working at Scotland's largest legal firm. In this episode graduate engagement manager Wendy Murphy talks about the recruitment process for trainee lawyers at Brodies including how to make your application stand out from the crowd and what candidates can expect at the interview stage. Wherever you are in your career find out more about making that next step in your journey at Brodies by visiting Brodies.com/careers.

In our new series Life at Brodies, we're getting to know Brodies colleagues as they share their personal experiences and perspectives about working at Scotland's largest legal firm. In this episode health and safety solicitor Eve Gilchrist and real estate senior paralegal Alex McDonald discuss qualifying as a lawyer via the pre-PEAT traineeship as an alternative to completing a Scots law degree as part of the route to qualifying as a solicitor in Scotland.  Wherever you are in your career find out more about making that next step in your journey at Brodies by visiting Brodies.com/careers.

Following a number of high profile cases in regulated financial services firms and changing societal expectations, the Financial Conduct Authority is proposing to change its approach to non-financial misconduct.    Employment law partner Tony Hadden and senior associate Chris Boyle discuss the significance of the FCA's proposals and how regulated firms can make sure they're on the front foot with their handling and reporting of incidents.   The information in this podcast was correct at the time of recording. The podcast and its content is for general information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice.

In our new series Life at Brodies, we're getting to know Brodies colleagues as they share their personal experiences and perspectives about working at Scotland's largest legal firm. In this episode, Regan Lambert and Robert Bough talk about their experience as trainee solicitors at Brodies; each sharing their own journey to studying law at university, the application and interview process behind securing a training contract and uncovering what it is really like to work at Scotland's largest legal firm. Wherever you are in your career find out more about making that next step in your journey at Brodies by visiting Brodies.com/careers. 

In this special episode of Podcasts by Brodies, David Lee speaks to Stephen Goldie, Brodies' managing partner. Stephen, who has been with the firm for almost two decades, took up the  role in May 2024, succeeding Nick Scott. He was previously head of the disputes practice at Brodies. In 2023, Brodies achieved a major milestone, becoming the first Scottish legal firm to break through 100 million in annual revenue, as well as launching its first international arm, Brodies Middle East LLP, and opening an office in the United Arab Emirates, so what's next? Stephen discusses his plans for the firm over the next three years, and beyond, and touches on the latest financial results which were announced in July.

The breakdown of a relationship can be difficult for a child and many parents worry about the impact it can have on their child. In this episode, Brodies' family law expert Sarah Lilley is joined by Professor Ewan Gillon, First Psychology.  Together they discuss the importance of keeping the child at the centre of the process and their involvement of effectively working with children and families in challenging circumstances. The information in this podcast was correct at the time of recording. The podcast and its content is for general information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice. This episode was recorded on 09/04/24.

In the third of Podcast by Brodies' focus on international arbitration, we take an in-depth look at the role of the arbitrator. Ken MacDonald, Partner at Brodies LLP and Professor Derek Auchie of The University of Aberdeen consider what it means to be an arbitrator. Issues addressed include: Is judging and arbitrating the same? Has the role of arbitrator changed over the years? What extraneous factors influence arbitrators and is there an ideal personality type for arbitrator?    The future evolution of arbitrators including the development of AI in the arbitration space is also covered.  The information in this podcast was correct at the time of recording. The podcast and its content is for general information purposes only and should not be regarded as legal advice. This episode was recorded on 16/04/24.