Call: 2021
Direct access
Doug has a diverse and complimentary practice, undertaking both advisory and litigation work in a range of courts, including the High Court (led and un-led) and the Court of Appeal (un-led).
Doug joined Chambers in December 2022 following the successful completion of his pupillage. He was supervised by Mark Watson KC.
Prior to the Bar, Doug trained as a solicitor at an international law firm where he gained a particular interest in all forms of regulatory practice, including health & safety and environmental work. He also spent a year as the judicial assistant to the Senior President of Tribunals, Sir Keith Lindblom, working on environmental and planning cases that came before the Court of Appeal.
Doug is qualified to accept instructions under the Public Access scheme.
Environment
- Advised on how to protect a Site of Special Scientific Interest from water pollution and drafted pre-issue correspondence to the Environment Agency (the “EA”).
- Advised on a complaint to the Office for Environmental Protection relating to the detrimental effects of poor water flow levels in protected rivers.
- Acted for a waste management company in proceedings brought against them for the alleged harming of a protected birds site and following legal argument the CPS withdrew the charges brought.
- Acted for a company in suspension notice proceedings brought by the EA. Following the drafting of submissions the EA withdrew the suspension notice.
- Assisted advising the EA on the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 and parasitic liability.
- Regularly instructed in statutory nuisance claims, for both local authorities and defendants.
Food
- Prosecuting junior in a food hygiene trial against a national supermarket in the Crown Court.
- Junior counsel in a Judicial Review claim relating to pet feed safety. Judgment is still outstanding.
- Assisted drafting grounds of claim in Judicial Review proceedings involving abattoir enforcement compliance.
- Acts for both directors and companies in proceedings brought by the Food Standards Agency for a variety of food safety offences.
Civil
- Acted for a claimant in a Part 8 disposal hearing where the court awarded specific performance of the auction contract and costs in full.
- Regularly instructed to conduct litigation and advisory work in various civil claims, including RTA and hire purchase disputes.
- Advised on a multi-million claim relating to the negligent refurbishment of bridges.
- Advised on professional negligence, contested probate and insolvency proceedings.
- Regularly instructed for both applicant and respondent in police-related hearings including SHPOs, SPOs and Closure Orders.
- Acted on behalf of local authorities and respondents in licensing proceedings. The most recent respondent Doug acted for received his licence back and the regulator was ordered to pay the entirety of his costs.
Planning
- Successfully opposed a planning appeal for an 80-bed care home following a two-day hearing. Further information can be found here (https://6pumpcourt.co.uk/care-home-planning-appeal-in-wokingham/ and https://6pumpcourt.co.uk/successful-resistance-of-care-home-planning-appeal/).
- Regularly appears and advises on planning enforcement cases for both local authorities and defendants.
- Advised on CIL liability for both residential and commercial properties, including CIL liability appeals.
Crime
- Regularly instructed to prosecute and defend in all types of criminal proceedings (for example, see https://6pumpcourt.co.uk/defendant-acquitted-of-four-counts-of-possessing-an-offensive-weapon-in-prison/).
- Successful in the Court of Appeal. Further information can be found here (https://6pumpcourt.co.uk/court-of-appeal-allow-appeal-against-sentence/).
- Experience representing defendants in private prosecutions and currently instructed to pursue a combined application to dismiss and abuse of process argument against a private prosecutor.
Education
University of Sheffield, LLB (First Class)
Appointments
CPS Grade 1
Attorney General’s Junior Barrister Scheme
Advocate
Memberships
- Criminal Bar Association
- Health & Safety Lawyers Association
- Planning and Environment Bar Association
- UK Environmental Law Association
- Food Law Group
Latest news
29th September 2023
Judgement in Significant Pet Feed Safety Case Handed Down
Today the High Court (Eyre J) handed down judgment in R (Fold Hill Foods Ltd) v Food Standards Agency [2023] EWHC 2271 (Admin) which was a...
4th August 2023
Successful resistance of care home planning appeal – a reminder of the importance of sufficient climate change information
Anne Williams and Douglas Scott have successfully represented Wokingham Borough Council in its resistance of a planning appeal that sought permission to construct an...
9th May 2023
Court of Appeal allow appeal against sentence
Douglas Scott successfully reduced his client’s sentence in the Court of Appeal last week.
3rd May 2023
Care home planning appeal in Wokingham
Anne Williams and Douglas Scott appeared for Wokingham Borough Council in a two-day planning appeal (2 and 3 May 2023), whereby the appellant sought permission to construct an 80-bed dementia care home. Neil Cameron K.C. acted for the appellant.
20th December 2022
Chambers welcomes Doug Scott following successful completion of pupillage
We are very pleased to welcome Doug Scott who now joins Chambers following the successful completion of his pupillage.
17th October 2022
Defendant acquitted of four counts of possessing an offensive weapon in prison
Doug Scott, instructed by Filip Kostanecki at Kesar and Co Solicitors, secured the acquittal of his client, a serving prisoner, who was charged with four counts of possessing offensive weapons in prison.
Blog
24th April 2023
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Doug Scott and Amy Taylor consider plans for Ofwat to take action on water companies paying dividends whilst failing to meet performance standards and the potential impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill on environmental legislation.
16th January 2023
The Court of Appeal has held that if the Government’s interpretation of the Paris Agreement is “tenable” the courts will not interfere.
In a case concerning the UK Government’s approval of UK Export Finance’s investment in a liquified natural gas project in Mozambique, the Court of Appeal has held that if the Government’s interpretation of the Paris Agreement is “tenable” the courts will not interfere.
28th November 2022
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, William Upton KC, Christopher Badger and Doug Scott consider the Autumn Statement, the Environment Agency and Ofwat’s investigations into water companies and new DEFRA guidance on conservation covenants.
17th November 2022
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Christopher Badger and Doug Scott consider a Court of Appeal case clarifying the sentencing of Directors convicted of environmental offences, action from the advertising authorities on misleading green adverts and some optimism from the Head of the Environment Agency.
9th November 2022
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Gordon Wignall, Doug Scott and Amy Taylor consider moves by UK regulators on greenwashing claims, definitions of Gypsies and Travellers in planning policy and missed deadlines for providing legally binding environmental targets in the UK.
27th October 2022
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, William Upton KC, Mark Davies and Doug Scott consider the duties required of the Environment Agency under the Habitats Regulations, the results of a crackdown on waste crime in Lincolnshire and evidence that tuna stocks are recovering in marine protected areas.
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