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Employment

Joan Cradden heads the department at Brodies LLP, which represents Standard Life and American Express, and has won new clients in the public sector including the City of Edinburgh Council. The firm recruited Paul McMahon, formerly of Harper Macleod LLP. Emma Bell remains a consultant after stepping down from the partnership.

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP has a ‘number of strong players’ in its employment team, including David Walker and practice head Eilidh Wiseman. The firm receives numerous instructions from higher education and public sector clients, and is the Scottish Prison Service’s sole employment law adviser.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLPconsistently has the right people in the right place when they ’re needed’. New practice head Amanda Jones has particular expertise in discrimination law.

McGrigors LLP offers a ‘good-sized, geographically spread team’ – with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen – and has ‘extremely strong industry knowledge’. Diane Nicol heads the practice, which represents BP, Scottish Power and the Royal Mail. Peter Sharp has specialist knowledge of offshore employment matters.

Alan Masson and Alun Thomas are key figures for Anderson Strathern, which fields a ‘solid team’ notwithstanding the departure of Neil Maclean, who joined Shepherd and Wedderburn. Clients include the University of St Andrews and Harvey Nichols.

Burness LLP delivers ‘consistently high-quality’ and ‘exemplary’ service. Senior associate Morag Moffet is ‘highly impressive’, and David Morgan’s ‘advice is invaluable’. Practice head Ronald Mackay is also recommended.

The ‘exceptional’ Stephen Miller, head of MacRoberts LLP’s employment practice, is ‘an extremely knowledgeable and clearly highly respected individual’. The firm acts for around two-thirds of Scotland’s 32 local authorities regarding equal pay and other employment law issues.

Morton Fraser advises employers and employees, and has won new clients including HM Revenue & Customs, Spirit AeroSystems and the MoD. Lindsey Cartwright and the ‘meticulous’ Innes Clark are highly recommended.

Fielding ‘lawyers who know our business and understand the sector’, the Aberdeen-based team at Paull & Williamsons LLP provides ‘good advice backed by years of experience’. Sean Saluja and Tricia Walker are recommended.

Brechin Tindal Oatts provides ‘excellent service from general advice to tribunal representation’. Caroline Carr is ‘second to none’, and David Hoey is also recommended.

Following Russell Bradley’s departure in 2010, DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s employment practice is now led by the highly recommended Alan Strain, formerly of Biggart Baillie LLP. Clients include HBOS plc, Aberdeenshire Council, and Aggreko.

HBJ Gateley’s clients include BT, Allianz and DAS Legal Expenses Insurance. The team made several hires, including Kim Pattullo from Shepherd and Wedderburn. Jacqueline McCluskey heads the practice.

Iain Atack is a key figure at Lindsays, which provides ‘excellent advice within responsive timeframes’, and a ‘superb overall level of service’. The firm strengthened its Edinburgh practice with the addition of Frances McAulay.

McClure Naismith LLP’s employment team 
represents clients such as Whyte and Mackay, sportscotland and The Clyde Group. The group ‘can work in the grey world of employment law, and not simply keep to black and white’. Practice head Alan Thomson is recommended.

Pinsent Masons LLP represents Lloyds Banking Group, and won new clients such as Costco and Poundland. Senior associate Morag Hutchison has ‘a great ability to think on her feet’, and Kirsty Ayre is well respected.

Shepherd and Wedderburn saw several departures in 2010, including Kim Pattullo. Neil Maclean now heads the team, and provides ‘pragmatic, sensible and honest advice’. Recent client wins, such as Hutchesons Educational Trust and the Department for Transport, have increased the firm’s visibility in the public and educational sectors.

Simpson & Marwick’s team gives ‘prompt, clear and practical advice’. Aberdeen-based Sandy Kemp and David Hughes are ‘extremely knowledgeable, professional, thorough and committed’. Clients include Brit Insurance, Marathon Oil and Baker Hughes.

Turcan Connell stands out for its focus on representing senior executives. The ‘tremendousDavid Ogilvy is ‘a highly energetic individual who is creative in legal argument’, and ‘his performance in court is one which subtly but incisively produces the answers he requires’.


Health and safety

Brechin Tindal Oatts represents clients in high-profile fatal accident inquiries (FAIs) and health and safety investigations, and also provides non-contentious advice. Practice head and criminal solicitor-advocate Clare Bone has an ‘ability to understand the intricacies of a case’. Solicitor-advocate Vikki Watt is also recommended.

Paull & Williamsons LLP is well known for its expertise in the oil and gas sector, and provides ‘prompt service, excellent industry knowledge and experience’. Rona Jamieson attracts very high praise from clients.

Simpson & Marwick’s clients include Travelers, Aviva and RSA Insurance. The firm has ‘excellent knowledge and a swift, pragmatic approach’, and represents clients in HSE prosecutions and FAIs. The ‘calm and effective’ Mark Donaldson and Douglas Russell are recommended.

Health and safety expert Robert Fife heads Anderson Strathern’s team, and ‘has the ability to deliver advice and guidance in layman’s terms’. Robert Carr represented The Coal Authority in a high-profile FAI, and the firm also acts as an external adviser to the HSE. Chris Dickson is also recommended.

Brodies LLP has seen an increase in requests for training and compliance advice following changes in the health and safety market. The firm is ‘always prompt, and shows a high degree of industry knowledge’. Elena Fry leads the team, and clients are ‘especially impressed’ with associate Paul Marshall.

Burness LLP’s multi-disciplinary health and safety team includes lawyers with expertise in criminal 
litigation, construction, employment, property and environmental law. The team ‘tempers its advice in view of commercial viability, the speed of 
response required, and practicality’. Team head Gavin Paton is recommended, along with associate Diane Turner.

McGrigors LLP advises clients such as BP Exploration Operating Company, Lagan Construction and McDonald’s regarding health and safety matters. Laura Cameron heads the team, and Tom Stocker receives praise as being ‘consistently ahead of the game’.

Morton Fraser continues to act as legal adviser to 
the HSE in appeals against enforcement notices served under the HSWA. Team head Ewan McIntyre is recommended.

Biggart Baillie LLP’s clients include Scottish Power and Towergate. David Stevenson leads the team, which advises on compliance and crisis management, and represents clients in HSE investigations.

CMS Cameron McKenna LLP is ‘extremely efficient, with excellent response times and very good client reporting’. The team, led by solicitor-advocate Jan Burgess, has particular expertise in offshore health and safety matters.

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s health and safety practice head Aisha Anwar ‘gives clear advice and strategy’, and the team achieves ‘good results’. It received instructions to represent Eurocopter during the high-profile FAI into the death of rally driver Colin McRae.

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s practice is now headed by senior associate Duncan Mawby, following Edward McHugh’s departure. Clients include Chartis, Falck Renewables, and Scotia Gas Networks.

HBJ Gateley’s broad client base includes companies in the construction and hotel/leisure sectors. Debbie Milne leads the team, and James Lowe is recognised for his expertise in shipping-related health and safety matters.

MacRoberts LLP counts GlaxoSmithKline and WH Malcolm as clients. Practice head Craig Turnbull exclusively handles contentious work, including health and safety prosecutions and FAIs.


Pensions

David Knox heads the pension team at Dundas & Wilson CS LLP, which has ‘exceptional industry knowledge and acumen’. Recent work includes advising on risk reduction and restructuring matters. Alistair Hill is recommended, and senior associate Colin Browning displays ‘extremely impressive technical knowledge’.

McGrigors LLP has recently been advising Heineken and AEGON, and new client wins include Edinburgh Woollen Mill Pension Scheme and the trustees of the Norbord Pension Schemes. Practice head Ian Gordon is noted for his ability to ‘understand key issues, cut to the nub of the matter, and get off the fence with his advice’.

Shepherd and Wedderburn is a key player in the pensions area, being ‘attentive with concise reviews of legal developments’ and providing an ‘excellent level of service’. The team is acting for the trustees of the Scottish Widows Retirement Benefits Scheme regarding an ongoing pensions project. Department head Andrew Holehouse and Louisa Knox are recommended.

Biggart Baillie LLP provides an ‘excellent level of service’ and inspires ‘a high degree of confidence’. Clients include Visit Scotland, The Highland Council, Scottish Engineering, and the YMCA. Practice head Iain Talman is recommended.

Burness LLP’s team gives ‘clear, helpful and timely’ advice, and ‘service is excellent and exudes personal commitment’. The firm acted for the trustee of the Gems Sensors Pension Plan regarding a bulk transfer of half of the scheme’s liabilities. Independent Television News is a recent client win. Practice head Vanessa Ingram is recommended.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP’s department has been involved in advising on the pensions aspects of PFI transactions, and earned instructions from new clients such as Vallourec Mannesmann and McAlpine & Company. Gary Cullen heads the pensions team, in which Juliet Bayne is ‘a highly competent specialist’ who ‘responds promptly’.

MacRoberts LLP’s team acted for Jacobs Engineering Group regarding the pensions aspects of a 
multinational acquisition. Team head Peter Trotter is ‘particularly impressive – of the highest calibre, with 
the ability to find a path through complex legal problems’.

In 2010, Brodies LLP’s pensions team advised the trustees of the WTL Pensions & Life Assurance Scheme on aspects of a claim against Scottish Widows. Key clients include Prudential UK, Tesco Bank and The Co-operative Group. Practice head Martha Quinn has ‘excellent knowledge’, and associate Mark Lindsay is also recommended.

Tods Murray LLP’s pensions work is led by Martin Thurston Smith, who has particular expertise in the pensions aspects of PFI transactions. Clients include Wemyss and March Estates, and the trustees of the University of Edinburgh Staff Benefits Scheme.


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Press Releases in the UK

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