Our People

John Batters
Consultant

Professional experience

John Batters is no less than one of Scotland’s most famous licensing lawyers, having specialised in licensing and gambling law for well over thirty years. John joined Lindsays as a Consultant in the latter part of 2010, having ran his own practice for decades. He was appointed Convenor of the Law Society Licensing sub-committee in July 2011, having been one of the longest standing members. He is also member of the Law Society’s Accreditation Panel of Licensing Law Specialists. He has contributed to countless seminars and conferences over the years and has been the author of innumerable articles, but in particular is also the author of the Licensing Law Section in the recent edition of the Stair Encyclopaedia of Scots Law.

To list the number of operators John has represented in the alcohol and gambling industries over the years is an impossible task, but suffice it to say he has been involved in multiple high profile cases not just at licensing boards all over Scotland but including various sheriff court appearances. John acted in the first ever (and to date only) personal licence appeal under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, and is the only solicitor to have acted in an appeal under the Gambling Act 2005 north of the border. John is also one of Scotland’s most experienced solicitors in dealing with civic licensing matters, which again includes not just appearances at committee level but in appeals as well.