Alan is a Partner in the private client department, based in Glasgow.
Alan work covers three main areas: charities, private client and parliamentary matters.
Much of Alan's practice involves advising on charity law. Alan assists charities, individuals and corporates on charity law, social enterprise (including charities engaged in trading and projects such as renewables), CSR, governance training and philanthropy. This involves assisting a variety of bodies across the whole of Scotland and beyond including community projects, family foundations, housing associations, education providers, museums and culture bodies, commercial enterprises with philanthropic and community programmes, national institutions and even space agency NASA. Alan has been heavily involved in early developments in charity law such as Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (SCIOs), reorganisations and mergers. Dealing daily with OSCR Alan also seeks consents from other bodies including Scottish Housing Regulator and Privy Council as well as having experience with regulators such as Ofcom. Legal directories have noted that Alan "continues to receive acclaim for his superb charity law advice" and that he has a "deep knowledge of the field". Alan has experience of the "real workings" of charity boards and organisation with the Scottish Youth Parliament, Glasgow arts charity, Cryptic and the Scottish Universities Law Institute.
Often as part of advising charities, he has developed experience advising on parliamentary matters. Alan has advised a number of organisations on promoting private legislation in the Scottish Parliament (including the Burrell Collection (Lending and Borrowing) (Scotland) Act 2014 and Ure Elder Transfer and Dissolution Act 2010) and Privy Council related applications. He also helps organisations consider the impact of draft legislation and carried out monitoring of parliamentary developments.
Alan was a member of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland from 2007 to 2009 and the Society's Education and Training Committee from 2007 to 2012. He is currently a member of the Society's Charity Law and Mental Health and Disability Law Committees.