Insolvency and corporate recovery
-
1
- DUNDAS & WILSON CS LLP Edinburgh, Glasgow
-
2
- BRODIES LLP Edinburgh, Glasgow
- MACLAY MURRAY & SPENS LLP Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen
- SHEPHERD AND WEDDERBURN Edinburgh, Glasgow
-
3
- BURNESS LLP Edinburgh, Glasgow
- DLA PIPER SCOTLAND LLP Glasgow, Edinburgh
- MCGRIGORS LLP Glasgow, Edinburgh
- SEMPLE FRASER LLP Glasgow
-
- Anderson Strathern LLP Edinburgh
- HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP Edinburgh, Glasgow
- Harper Macleod LLP Glasgow
- MacRoberts LLP Glasgow, Edinburgh
- McClure Naismith LLP Glasgow, Edinburgh
- Tods Murray LLP Edinburgh, Glasgow
-
- Biggart Baillie LLP Glasgow, Edinburgh
- Blackadders LLP Dundee
- Brechin Tindal Oatts Glasgow, Edinburgh
- Gillespie Macandrew LLP Edinburgh
- Morton Fraser Edinburgh
- Paull & Williamsons Aberdeen
Although Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is ‘no longer invincible‘ following the departure of Yvonne Brady and Fiona McKerrell to DLA Piper Scotland LLP, it remains the ‘dominant force in the market‘. The team is led by Ian Cuthbertson, who sits in ‘pole position for Scottish insolvency work‘, and enjoys preferred adviser status with each of the three major Scottish banks: Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale and RBS. 2008 saw the ‘go-to‘ practice advise Bank of Scotland on the reorganisation of Stead & Simpson pre-insolvency; PwC as administrators in the subsequent sale of core business interests to Shoezone; and Kroll as administrators of McA Group. Other clients include Deloitte, Ernst & Young, BDO and KPMG.
Brodies LLP’s ‘formidable‘ restructuring practice continues to turn heads, with the firm building upon the 2007 hire of DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s practice head Colin McIntosh with the recruitment of the ‘highly impressive‘ Rachel Grant from Semple Fraser LLP. McIntosh and Grant jointly head the team, with the former focusing on non-contentious restructuring and the latter heading the contentious workload. Recent highlights include advice to Grant Thornton on the administration of No Catch Group, and PwC on the administration of The Arran Brewery Company.
Led by the ‘willing, experienced and pragmatic‘ Michael Hughes, Maclay Murray & Spens LLP’s practice spans restructurings, administrations and liquidiations, and recently acted for the liquidators of Centenary Holdings III in relation to an investigation of prior transactions. The firm also acted on a number of business acquisitions from receivers and liquidators, while other clients include Scottish Enterprise, the Corporate High Risk division of Bank of Scotland, and RBS.
Following a period of sustained growth, Shepherd And Wedderburn is now ‘a genuine competitor to the best in the market‘. Led by Paul Hally, the team advised Ernst & Young as administrators of Landsbanki subsidiary Heritable Bank; PKF as administrators of Zoom Airlines; and Deloitte as administrators of Sound Control. Other clients include KPMG and BDO Stoy Hayward, and the firm also acts for all the major clearing banks in Scotland. Banking litigator Alasdair Frood joined the firm from DLA Piper Scotland LLP, while Fiona Paterson was promoted to partner.
Gary Moffat leads Burness LLP’s ‘good all-round offering‘, which advised Linklaters LLP on the Scottish aspects of Woolworths’ administration, and Ernst & Young on the liquidiation of Berghoff Trading. Mark Ellis has returned to the firm from Travers Smith LLP.
DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s practice fell significantly in the ranking last year, with both of its restructuring partners leaving the firm. However, the firm has ‘quickly reestablished itself among the front runners‘ with the hire of ‘highly experienced and talented operator‘ Yvonne Brady and Fiona McKerrell from Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s market-leading team.
McGrigors LLP’s practice was boosted by the arrival of director Pamela Muir from HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP. Led by Kevin Devanny, the team advised West Coast Capital on the administration of USC Limited, and continued to advise Deloitte on the liquidation of Arakin.
Semple Fraser LLP softened the blow of losing practice head Rachel Grant to Brodies LLP with the hire of the ‘capable and highly respected‘ Gordon Hollerin and associate Fiona Carlin from DLA Piper Scotland LLP. The team advised KPMG in the sequestration of Michael Howard and on a series of restructurings including Kelvin Foods, Moraira Holdings and Clydedock Engineering.
Anderson Strathern LLP acted for the Insolvency Service in a TUPE liability claim relating to a transfer of employees during provisional liquidiation. The team is headed by newly promoted partner Katrina Lumsdaine.
Led by Simon Catto, HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP advised Zoom Airlines on its restructuring, and Deloitte as administrators of TVAC. The firm was appointed to Barclays Bank’s new Scottish insolvency panel.
Harper Macleod LLP’s James Lloyd is particularly experienced in acting for the accountant in bankruptcy. The team advised the administrators of Grampian Country Transport.
In addition to acting on a range of restructurings and insolvencies, MacRoberts LLP advised on related pensions and property issues, and represented insolvency practitioners in court proceedings. David Flint is recommended.
Led by George Frier, McClure Naismith LLP acted on a number of administrations, restructurings and liquidations, including related sales of business assets.
Tods Murray LLP advised the Bank of England as an interested party in the FSA’s application to place Landsbanki subsidiary Heritable Bank into administration as a result of the Icelandic bank crash. Alistair Burrow is recommended.
Brechin Tindal Oatts’ joint practice heads Dorothy Hatfield and Grant Hunter are recommended.
John Stirling at Gillespie Macandrew LLP is recommended.
Ewan McIntyre at Morton Fraser is ‘authoritative and practical‘.
Corporate head Alan McNiven at Paull & Williamsons is recommended.