Robert Scott-Dempster
Partner, Head of Land and Rural Business
Robert is a Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist. His main area of practice lies in agriculture and landed estates, natural capital, rural businesses, renewable energy, ownership structures, capital taxation and succession.
Robert acts for a number of Scotland’s most high profile and progressive landed estates and charity landowners as principal legal adviser and general counsel. He has also acted in some of Scotland’s most valuable estate transactions and has first-hand experience of dealing with community acquisitions acting for both private individuals and communities. He is a frequent speaker at conferences on agriculture and rural affairs as well as providing regular legal opinion pieces for both legal and industry publications.
Robert is Chairman of Scottish Land & Estates Legal Committee and a Scottish committee member of the Agricultural Law Association. Robert is also a Specialist Adviser for the Farm Advisory Service and is a director of the Atlantic Salmon Trust.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE:
Teams:
Contact
Robert Scott-Dempster
Recent News & Insights by Robert
25 November 2025 | Time to read: 6 mins
Scotland’s Land Reform Bill: What You Need to Know
Practical summaries of the main provisions and impacts of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill for landowners and interested parties to be aware of.
29 September 2025 | Time to read: 5 mins
Path of new Land Reform Bill risks being a road to nowhere in Scotland
Learn more about the Scottish Parliament’s Land Reform Bill as it progresses through legislative stages.
28 May 2025 | Time to read: 1 min
Join us at the 2025 Royal Highland Show
By Robert Scott-Dempster, Agnes Mallon, Gillian Wright
From Thursday 19th to Sunday 22nd June, Gillespie Macandrew and Mill Architects will be at the Royal Highland Show.
01 May 2025 | Time to read: 6 mins
Land Reform Bill – What is the current status?
In March this year, the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of the general principles of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill and the Bill has now moved to Stage 2. Following...