Francesca called to the Bar in 2025 as a Lord Hope Scholar after five years in practice as a solicitor, during which time she worked both in private practice and in-house with the Government Legal Service for Scotland.

In private practice, Francesca specialised in property and planning litigation, acting in a wide range of disputes arising from the ownership, occupation and development of land.  Whilst in-house with the GLSS, Francesca acted for various government departments and agencies in a broad range of actions and judicial reviews.

Since calling to the Bar, Francesca has continued to specialise in property, planning and administrative law disputes.  She is frequently instructed in boundary and access disputes, as well as disputes concerning the unauthorised occupation of land.  She has acted in a number of commercial lease disputes and telecoms disputes under the Electronic Communications Code.  She additionally has experience of planning inquiries, statutory appeals and judicial reviews, and compulsory purchase.

Francesca regularly appears in the Court of Session, Lands Tribunal for Scotland and Sheriff Courts as sole counsel.  She also has experience of appearing in the Sheriff Appeal Court and the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) from her time as a solicitor.

• Tutor in Property Law, University of Edinburgh (2023 to 2025)

• Member of the Scottish Planning, Local Government and Environmental Law Bar Group
• Associate member of the Property Bar Association

• Access by prescription: challenge of proof, The Journal of the Law Society of Scotland: Volume 66, Issue 3 (March 2021)

Property 

• Ashtead Plant Hire Company Limited v Granton Central Developments Limited [2020] CSIH 2; [2019] CSOH 7; [2018] CSOH 107 (as instructing agent) - acted for the pursuer in a case concerning the proper interpretation of a rent review clause.
• New Ingliston Limited v Edinburgh Airport Limited [2020] CSOH 64 (as instructing agent) - acted for the defender in a case concerning the service of an option notice.

Planning and Compulsory Purchase

• Restore Nature Limited, Petitioner [2026] CSOH 17 – junior counsel for the petitioner in a challenge to a decision of Scottish Forestry that a proposed forestry project did not require an Environmental Impact Assessment. Led by James Findlay KC.
• Gartmore House, Petitioner [2022] CSIH 56; [2022] CSOH 24 (as instructing agent) - acted for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority in a challenge to a decision to adopt an amended Core Paths Plan under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.
• Scotland’s Rural College v Scottish Ministers [2021] CSIH 32; LTS/COMP/2018/06 (as instructing agent) - acted for the Scottish Ministers in an application for disputed compensation following the compulsory purchase of land for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Administrative Law

• Alan Houston, Petitioner [2024] CSOH 79 (as instructing agent) - acted for the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in a challenge to a decision to deduct sums from the petitioner’s state pension credit in respect of historic social fund loans.
• AH, Petitioner [2024] CSOH 62 (as instructing agent) - acted for the Secretary of State for the Home Department in a challenge to a decision to refuse the petitioner’s skilled worker application.
• DML, Petitioner [2023] CSOH 55 (as instructing agent) - acted for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in a challenge to a decision of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Social Entitlement Chamber) to refuse the petitioner’s compensation appeal.
• Sunbeam Fishing Limited, Petitioner [2023] CSOH 16 (as instructing agent) - acted for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in a challenge to a decision to prohibit the commercial fishing of sandeels in 2022.