Our People

Stephen McGowan
Director

Professional experience

Stephen is a Director in the Licensing and Gambling team at Lindsays. Stephen is a well known face throughout the licensing world in Scotland and has fast established himself as an authority in this area.

Stephen McGowan won the Rising Star of the Year award at the Scottish Legal Awards 2012.

Stephen joined Lindsays in September 2010 having previously worked with Tods Murray LLP, Hill Brown, Glasgow Licensing Board, and in the licensed trade itself. Stephen has authored three books on this practice area, including "Licensing and Gambling Law in Scotland" (2009) and "Gaming in Pubs and Clubs" (2008). On top of this he is the course book author and tutor of CLT's paralegal certificate in licensing law and lectures at Strathclyde University and is a frequent speaker on the licensing circuit.

Stephen has acted for a wide variety of licensing and gambling clients in various capacities throughout his professional career, including large pub chains, supermarkets, independent pub and club operators, small convenience stores, bookmakers, arcades, poker leagues, private members clubs, rugby clubs, golf clubs, snooker clubs, and multi-use facilities such as cinemas, theatres, colleges and tourist attractions. Stephen is widely praised not only for his legal acumen and relationship with licensing board administration staff on a day-to-day basis, but his firm grasp of the real-life issues facing the licensed trade itself, having poured many a pint in his days as a bartender. In addition to his licensing and gambling experience, Stephen also has experience of wider hospitality and leisure issues including copyright, planning, building standards and commercial conveyancing.

Complementing this is Stephen's status as a qualified and recognised trainer. Stephen is accredited by the BII to deliver the SCPLH course and can deliver this course for our clients in either of our Edinburgh or Glasgow offices. Stephen co-authored the SCPLH handbook and has trained hundreds of individuals, boasting a 100% pass rate for all his candidates to date. Amongst those Stephen has trained include the licensing officers at both Strathclyde and Lothian Borders constabularies. In addition, Stephen is qualified to deliver the new statutory 2 hour training course for licensed premises staff, and this is often done at clients own premises.

Stephen has, in particular, conducted training on the Gambling Act 2005 including a special training course attended by LSOs across Scotland, as well as tailored courses for licensing boards themselves. Before moving into law Stephen attained a MA (Hons) from Glasgow University in Sociology, for which his thesis was on gambling.

Credential highlights

• Appointed to the influential Law Society of Scotland Licensing Sub-Committee in November 2009.
• Affiliate of the British Institute of Innkeepers (ABII) and appointed to the position of Council Member for BII Scotland in November 2009.
• Member of the Institute of Licensing (MIOL).
• Recipient of both the prestigious Chairmans Award, given to the single outstanding entrant from all categories, and the Paralegal of the Year, at the Law Awards of Scotland 2008.
• Holder of the first ever personal licence issued under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 by the Glasgow Licensing Board.
• Fellow of the Society of Specialist Paralegals (FSSP).
• Member of the Incorporation of Maltmen, and the Incorporation of Coopers, at the Glasgow Trades House.