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Maclay Murray & Spens LLP’s ten-strong corporate tax practice combines legal and accounting expertise (including four chartered accountants): an attractive proposition for clients, taken in conjunction with the firm’s share schemes expertise. Recent highlights include advising Orkney Islands Council and NHS Orkney regarding a proposed joint venture for the procurement of public infrastructure projects. Gwen Souter leads a ‘helpful, professional and responsive team’, with dual-qualified lawyer and chartered tax adviser Lorna Tutty highlighted for her ‘pragmatic and common-sense approach’.

Brodies LLP’s ‘one-stop-shop’ corporate tax practice continues to impress clients with its combined legal and chartered accountancy expertise spanning restructuring, transactional tax advice, employment-related tax matters, as well as tax planning for vendors and companies. Recent highlights include advising the shareholders of Memex Group on the tax implications of selling the group to SAS Institute. Isobel d’Inverno and Alan Barr jointly head the team, and were joined in 2010 by senior tax manager Neil Ritchie.

Ainsley MacLaren’s ‘client-focused, commercially oriented’ corporate tax group benefited from MacRoberts LLP’s above-average flow of corporate and employment-related instructions in 2010. The team advised on the sale of Botterills Convenience Stores Limited to the Scotmid Group, and worked alongside KPMG to provide Tillicoultry Quarries with SDLT, VAT and capital allowances tax advice regarding the acquisition of a Scottish aggregates quarrying business.

McGrigors LLP’s team ‘delivers timely and accurate advice, while taking the time to explain key issues’. Its strength on the corporate front translated into an impressive slate of corporate tax mandates in 2010, spanning M&A, investments, joint ventures, real estate transactions and employee incentive arrangements. Practice head Karen Davidson is ‘timely and excellent’, and advised the shareholders of PSN Limited on the tax aspects of its sale to John Wood Group. Senior associate Christine Yuill – ‘a very good and responsive deputy’ – advised Nevis Capital in relation to its investment in Dieselec Generators Limited.

At Biggart Baillie LLP, Ronnie Brown handles contentious and transactional tax matters. In 2010, he acted for Grays Timber Products on the first-ever tax appeal to the UK Supreme Court, and advised Hammerson plc and Canadian Police Pension Board on the Scottish tax and corporate aspects of their £300m acquisition of Silverburn Shopping Centre.

Burness LLP’s tax practice continues to receive a healthy flow of transactional tax work from private and voluntary sector clients. John Finnick advised STV Group on the tax aspects of the share sale of Pearl & Dean Cinemas Limited in 2010. Walter Clark was promoted to partner.

Shepherd and Wedderburn’s four-partner team provides corporate and real estate tax advice to 
major corporate clients including Cairn Energy and Heineken UK. Practice head Stephen Miller advised Biocompatibles International on its proposed acquisition by BTG plc.

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP fields three fee-earners in Edinburgh as part of its UK-wide tax advisory practice, headed by London-based corporate tax partner Jim Hillan.

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