The Faculty of Advocates has been officially recognised since the establishment of the College of Justice by Papal Bull in 1532, though its origins likely predate the College of Justice itself. It is the professional body of Scotland’s independent referral bar, its members providing services broadly equivalent to those provided by barristers in the rest of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Whilst individual Advocates guard jealously their independence and prohibition on working in legal partnerships, for administrative reasons they have historically grouped with others to form Stables. Stables are essentially practice groups managed by an “Advocates’ Clerk” and traditionally were named after their clerk. Optimum Advocates was formerly The Mackinnon Stable, a stable established in 1990.
Whilst Stables were traditionally based in Edinburgh, The Mackinnon Stable took the bold move in 2007 to establish the first and only Stable in the West of Scotland, basing itself in Glasgow, whilst retaining a presence in Edinburgh. This move reflected the number of its members living in the West, and providing services there.
A respect for legal diversity has always been a core ethos of Mackinnon Advocates, and this continues today in Optimum Advocates. Whilst originally a predominately criminal law stable, and one still offering the services of the some of the most pre-eminent practitioners of Scottish criminal law, Optimum Advocates has also become home to highly regarded civil practitioners with an extensive range of skills. These can be seen in the areas of practice detailed on our home page.
As with all Edinburgh based stables, Optimum Advocates offers the services of members of the Faculty of Advocates and operates under the vehicle of Faculty Services Ltd – the Faculty administrative company responsible for the issuing and collection of fees, credit control service and various other support functions.
Optimum Advocates are proud of the standards they have steadfastly maintained in an ever changing legal profession and are confident that the advice and advocacy their members provide will remain second to none.
