TLT partner re-accredited as licensing law specialist

A partner at law firm TLT has been re-accredited as a specialist in liquor licensing by the Law Society of Scotland, solidifying the firm’s expertise in this practice area.

Stephen McGowan, who heads up the licensing team in Scotland, is an expert in licensing law in relation to alcohol but also specialises in advising businesses on civic licensing and gambling.

Stephen recently retained his status as a “leading individual” for licensing in the Legal 500 and is Band 1 lawyer in Chambers. Last year saw the publication of his fifth and latest book on this specialist area of law, McGowan on Alcohol Licensing Law in Scotland, which is now the standard academic text on the subject and was published by Edinburgh University Press.

In the last decade, the licensing team in Scotland has grown to become one of the largest, advising a wide range of clients across a number of sectors. At the Scottish Legal Awards in 2021, the licensing team won the “Client Care” award for its support of clients during the pandemic and lockdowns.

Stephen said: “I am delighted to be re-accredited, especially given the assessment is conducted by my peers in this space, colleagues at the licensing bar who I respect and admire. The accreditation is an honour, but is built on the trust our clients put in us to deliver for them and their businesses, and the support of my colleagues at TLT for which I am very grateful.”

John Paul Sheridan, partner and head of location in Scotland commented: “This is an area of law that can be incredibly complex with many nuances. We have a leading licensing team in Scotland that is committed to delivering result-driven and impactful outcomes for clients. Most recently the team retained its Band 1 ranking in the 2023 Chambers directory and was also highly ranked in the 2023 edition of the Legal 500. The accreditation of our lawyers is a significant asset to the services we provide to our clients and I’d like to wish Stephen, and the whole licensing team in Scotland, congratulations on this well-earnt recognition.”