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Crime: Edinburgh

Capital Defence Lawyers provides an ‘extremely high’ level of service, and conducts work ‘diligently and efficiently’. New silk John Scott QC leads the team, in which John Keenan is recommended for his ‘confident manner and grasp of the material’.

Adams Whyte undertakes work from its offices in Edinburgh and Livingston. Cases include road traffic offences, assault and money laundering.

Burnett Christie Knowles McCourts (BCKM) has a strong reputation for the full range of criminal defence work.

Belmonte & Co’s five-solicitor practice is recommended for defender-side criminal law.

George More is the main contact at George More & Co, which has a significant legal aid practice.

Wilson McLeod undertakes a range of criminal cases, including theft, robbery and assault.

Crime: Glasgow

Beltrami & Co’s Glasgow office advises individuals and businesses, handling both legal aid and privately funded cases. Murray Macara QC is recommended.

Peter Watson leads the team at Levy & McRae, which has been appointed by a number of Scotland’s police forces to deal with on-duty criminal allegations against their officers.

Liam O’Donnell & Co.’s practice includes murder and drugs cases, and customs and excise prosecutions. The team has a significant criminal appeals practice.

Livingstone Brown is well regarded for its legal aid work. Gerard Brown CBE is the name to note.

Solicitor advocates Iain Fleming and Paul Reid at Fleming and Reid Solicitors and Notaries Public are recommended.

Crime: Elsewhere in Scotland

Central Criminal Lawyers has ‘a broad range of knowledge’, and provides ‘simple and uncluttered’ advice, handling all types of criminal defence work. Neil Robertson deals with cases ‘delicately and sympathetically’, and Ian Bryce is also recommended.

MTM Defence Lawyers’ recent work includes road traffic offences, assault and robbery cases.

Blair & Bryden has a strong reputation for legal aid work.

Dundee-based Caird & Vaughan is recommended for general criminal law work including drugs and assault cases.

Aberdeen-based George Mathers & Co has experience in the full spectrum of criminal law work including road traffic, theft and fraud cases.

Higgins Morledge & Litterick handles embezzlement, breach of the peace and vandalism cases, among others.

Alexander Currie and David McSorley are the names to note at McCluskey Browne.

McCusker, McElroy & Co is recommended for general criminal defence work.

Licensing

Brunton Miller maintains a strong reputation for its licensing work, particularly around Glasgow, and recently undertook work for JD Wetherspoon. Douglas Dalgleish, Archie MacIver and Frank Collins are recommended.

Lindsays is particularly noted for its expertise in gambling and alcohol licensing. Edinburgh-based Caroline Loudon leads the group, which is praised for its ‘commercial and practical’ advice. Recent work includes advising Oddbins Limited on entering administration.

R & JM Hill Brown & Co has particular expertise in acting for high street food retailers such as Tesco and the Co-operative. The team, led by Jack Cummins, worked on the debut openings in Scotland of Wholefoods Market and Carluccio’s. Clients praise the ‘outstanding’ service.

Harper Macleod LLP provides licensing services to a broad client base, including BP Oil, Coca-Cola, Lidl and William Hill. Andrew Hunter is ‘very responsive, commercial and accessible’.

Pinsent Masons LLP is ranked following its merger with McGrigors LLP. It gives ‘excellent’ service and ‘always delivers the best results’. It has advised clients including the Restaurant Group and Hilton Worldwide.

Morton Fraser adopts a ‘friendly approach’ and has the ability to ‘deliver quality service and advice’. It undertakes licensing appeal work for the City of Edinburgh Council, and also acts for Travelodge Hotels and Heineken.

Anderson Strathern remains very active in liquor licensing and also recently advised McDonald’s and one of its franchise holders, on seeking late-hours catering licences during the Edinburgh Festival.

Brodies LLP continues to act for TGI Fridays and Pizza Hut, and provides ‘great service in terms of speed and quality of work’.

Burness LLP is the sole provider of licensing advice to Ladbrokes in Scotland. Diane Turner leads the team.

DLA Piper Scotland LLP is particularly experienced in liquor licensing, and has an increasing amount of work relating to the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Act 2010. Clients include Odeon Cinemas and Santander.

Ewan Easton leads the team at Maclay Murray & Spens LLP, which acts for clients including House of Fraser and The Hibernian Football Club.

Shepherd and Wedderburn continues to represent Sainsbury’s Supermarkets, as well as The Balmoral Hotel and Turnberry. Hugh Smith advises clients across the leisure sector, including hotels, golf courses and leisure and fitness centres.

Tods Murray LLP provides ‘practical and appropriate’ licensing advice to a range of clients, including the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and Dobbies Garden Centres. Edinburgh-based Elaine Brailsford leads the team.

Young & Partners has ‘an excellent understanding of licensing issues’, and attracted Scottish Wholesale Association and Co-operative Food Group as new clients in 2011.

bto’s new clients include Downing LLP and Begbies Traynor.

Blackadders LLP has ‘extensive knowledge of licensing issues’.

Graham Cooper is the name to note at Ledingham Chalmers LLP.

Thorntons Law LLP’s licensing team is led by Anne McKeown in Forfar.

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