Robert Milligan KC

Year of Call 1995 Year of Silk 2009

"Robert is very experienced, very commercial, knows his audience and is very good on the detail and in negotiations."- Chambers UK 2025

"Robert is pragmatic, level-headed and an excellent negotiator. He is incredibly efficient and decisive, and a real pleasure to work with." - Chambers UK 2025

"A doyen of the Bar" - Legal 500 UK 2025

Robert acts for pursuers and defenders equally and is instructed regularly by most leading firms in Scotland. He is ranked as a leading silk in both Legal 500 and Chambers UK and is rated as the Star Individual for Personal Injury work in Chambers UK.

Robert has a particular interest in product liability claims, fatal claims and catastrophic injuries. He was instructed by the defenders in the Vioxx litigation and acted for the pursuers in the group litigations relating to metal on metal hips and vaginal mesh implants.  He is currently involved in the group proceedings relating to vehicle emissions against VW, Mercedes and BMW.  He speaks and writes regularly on personal injury related matters, particularly in relation to damages and fatal claims.

Robert is a legal chairman of the War Pensions Appeal Tribunal and sits on the SRU Discipline Panel.  In 2017 he represented the Scotland player Ryan Wilson following an incident in the Calcutta Cup match of that year.

Robert is a member of the Scottish Civil Justice Council Working Group on Group Proceedings.

Representative Cases

Ronald and ors v Perth & Kinross Council 3/8/23) - fatal claims and civil jury trial

Veale v Scottish Poewr UK plc 2023 SLT 755 - section 5 Damages (Scotland) Act 2011

Rose v WNL Investments 2023 SLT 829 - whether employee or independent contractor; place of statutory duties after the Enterprise Act

Hastings v  Finsbury Orthopaedic 2022 SC (UKSC) 43 - Consumer Protection Act 1987

Woodhouse v Lochs and Glens Transport Ltd - 2020 SLT 1203 (IH) - inference of negligence in road traffic accident

Grant v International Insurance Company of Hanover Ltd [2021] UKSC 12 - indemnity clause in insurance contract relating to a door steward (appeal due to be heard in Supreme Court in February 2021)

Warner v Scapa Flow Charters 2017 SLT 239 (IH) and 2019 SC (UKSC) 1 – limitation and the Athens Convention (Supreme Court)

LT v NHS Lothian Health Board [2018] CSOH 29; [2019] CSIH 20 - cerebral palsy claim

Brown v Craig Nevis Surgery [2018] CSOH - fatal medical negligence claim

Anderson v Imrie 2018 SLT 717 – duties of adults in loco parentis and role of appellate court

Pocock v Highland Council [2017] CSIH 76 – duties of roads authorities towards pedestrians

J v C 2017 [CSIH] 8 – timebar in clinical negligence claim

Bowes v Highland Council 2017 SLT 749 (OH) and 2018 SC 499 (IH) – duties of roads authorities

Kennedy and ors v MacKenzie [2017] CSOH 118 – inference of negligence in fatal RTA.

Manson v Henry Robb Ltd 2017 SLT 1173 – loss of society awards in mesothelioma claims

Stanger v Flaws (June 2016) – fatal claim before a jury

Young v McVean 2014 SLT 934 (OH) and 2015 SLT 729 (IH) – fatal claim and also the leading authority in Scotland on secondary victims

Thomson v Dennis Thomson Builders Ltd 2012 SC 486 – decision of 5 judge bench in relation to jury awards

Hastings v Finsbury Orthopaedics 2019 SLT 1411Consumer Protection Act 1987 and metal-on-metal hip implants (appeal to the Supreme Court due to be heard in April 2022)

Contact Us

  • Compass Chambers
    Parliament House
    Edinburgh
    EH1 1RF