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Agriculture and estates

Anderson Strathern has ‘significant expertise’ in agriculture and estates matters. Team co-heads John Mitchell and Jim Drysdale are recommended, with the latter highlighted by clients for his ‘wisdom alongside legal expertise, with an ability to see the goal and not just the hurdles’. Alasdair Fox retired from the partnership in 2010 but remains a consultant.

Turcan Connell’s ‘classy outfit’ remains a leader in this field. Head of the land and property group Jon Robertson is ‘a leader of outstanding ability with an excellent support team of partners and staff’. Senior associate and accredited specialist Lewis Kermack ‘will fight the client’s corner remorselessly’ in contentious matters.

Brodies LLP offers a full service to its rural 
clients including planning, tax, corporate and environmental expertise. Practice head Odell Milne and David Houldsworth are accredited specialists. Clients include The Co-operative Farms and the Scottish Rural Property Business Association, as well as Novar and Atholl Estates.

The land and rural business department at Gillespie Macandrew LLP advised on numerous high-value estate transactions in 2010. Team head Robert Scott-Dempster is ‘second to none’, and the group was strengthened by the recruitment of Alistair Anderson from Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP.

James Rust leads the agriculture and rural property team at Morton Fraser, which was appointed to act for a discretionary trust on the purchase of a mixed estate. Clients include the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Balmoral Estates and the Scottish Agricultural College.

Thorntons Law LLP’s Mike Blair is sought particularly for his advice on succession and capital planning issues relating to farms, estates and other rural businesses. Christopher Lindley made partner in January 2011.

Tods Murray LLP’s rural property and business department, headed by Sarah Cudworth, is noted for its ‘businesslike conduct and efficiency’. Richard Leslie was promoted to partner.

Harper Macleod LLP’s practice includes partners in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness. Graeme Nisbet heads the team, which counts Scottish Coal, The Crofters Commission and Cydesdale Bank among its clients. It remains the sole supplier of legal services to the Forestry Commission in Scotland regarding its property portfolio. Clare Beattie joined from Turcan Connell.

Lindsays’ ‘very professional’ team provides an ‘excellent level of service’. Rural services group head Michael Yellowless and consultant David Sturrock are highly recommended. Senior associate Andrew Linehan joined from Turcan Connell in January 2010.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP’s agricultural team has seen an increase in instructions in areas such as alternative land use and leasing problems. Clients include forestry enterprise companies, major public limited companies with agricultural interests, and leisure companies. Gregor Mitchell heads the team.

Colin Clark heads the agriculture and estates practice at Pagan Osborne Limited, and is praised for his ‘attention to detail, and calm and professional responses’. Senior solicitor Gillian Gibbons has ‘an eye for detail’. The team has been advising on a number of major estate reorganisations and renewable energy projects.

Charities

Burness LLP’s charities practice is headed by the highly regarded Stephen Phillips, and is singled out for its ‘knowledge of the sector and ability to keep up with what can be a very fast-changing context’. Paul Pia retired.

Turcan Connell’s team of three accredited specialists is led by Simon Mackintosh, who ‘clearly has a great deal of knowledge and experience’. Douglas Connell’s expertise includes the formation and governance of charities; and Gavin McEwan is a member of the working group advising Scottish ministers regarding Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (SCIOs).

Anderson Strathern advises charities in areas including governance, regulatory and employment issues. The team also advises on the establishment of charities, such as the Bill McClaren Foundation. Team head and senior associate Anne Swarbrick is an accredited specialist, as is Robin Stimpson.

Lindsays focuses on the corporate aspects of charities law, including governance and reorganisations. Highlights included assisting on the merger of OneKind with St Andrew Animal Fund. Team head Alastair Keatinge has ‘exceptional and up-to-date knowledge’.

At Shepherd and Wedderburn, ‘all matters are dealt with very quickly with a great deal of industry knowledge’. Practice head Malcolm Rust is ‘very knowledgeable and personable’. The firm was appointed as sole legal adviser to the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Scottish Community Foundation (SCF).

Biggart Baillie LLP’s team, led by Gordon Wyllie, advises on matters across the spectrum of charity work, including governance, investment and reorganisation.

Gillespie Macandrew LLP acts for MacMillan Cancer Support on contentious matters, and is advising Poppyscotland on a cross-border merger. Practice head Tom Murray is recommended.

Morton Fraser provides a ‘very high-quality service, and is responsive, pragmatic and practical’. Adrian Bell heads the charities group, which advised on the merger between Deaf Action and the Tayside Deaf Association. Scott Rae retired in 2010.

T C Young has ‘truly excellent knowledge of Scottish charity law’. Group head Mark Ewing is the lead legal adviser for the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, and Turning Point Scotland.

Brodies LLP continues to advise the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, and focuses on corporate governance issues and structural matters. Brenda Scott heads the team, which includes Mark Clough QC.

HBJ Gateley represents charities, trustees, 
local authorities and charitable vehicles, on matters including mergers, and incorporation and registration. Practice head Glen Gilson and Douglas Hunter are recommended.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP’s charities group is headed by Alan Eccles, who has ‘formidable knowledge and legal expertise’. The team advised on the £300m merger of three Glasgow colleges with charitable status to create City of Glasgow College.

MacRoberts LLP provides an ‘excellent service’ with ‘prompt and relevant’ responses. It has expertise in relation to charitable trusts as well as on the corporate charities side. Clients include Learning and Teaching Scotland, and Sense Scotland. Group head Duncan Osler’s strengths lie in social enterprise, structuring and procurement matters.

Tods Murray LLP won new instructions from Bighearted Scotland in 2010, while other clients include St Columba’s Hospice, HIV Scotland and the Bank of Scotland Foundation. Team head Richard Findlay and Alistair Burrow are recommended.

Balfour + Manson LLP’s team is ‘very approachable and fully conversant with all aspects of charity law’. Practice head John Hodge is ‘an expert in his field’. The team advised on the establishment of The Linda Norgrove Foundation.

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s charities group, headed by Eric Galbraith, represents established clients such as Cancer Research UK and Save the Children Fund alongside new clients Roars not Whispers, and Oxfam.

McGrigors LLP’s charities group is now led by Caroline Wallace, after consultant Alan Boyd retired from the partnership. The team focuses on charities in the public sector, such as educational establishments.

Family

Morton Fraser’s family law team is singled out for its ‘experience based on years at the top, and good, strong new talent coming through the ranks’. Practice head Leonard Mair is ‘a true professional’, well supported by ‘impressive’ associate Lucia Clark. Rhona Adams ‘provides calm, clear and skilful advice’, and Fiona Sasan ‘tackles difficult cases with intelligence, commitment and diligence’.

Sheehan Kelsey Oswald Family Law Specialists has several recommended individuals including Susan Oswald; the ‘first-class’ Rachael Kelsey, who has a ‘realistic, honest and no-nonsense approach’; and Wendy Sheehan, who ‘combines a host of personal skills and professional application that is very rare to find’. Accredited specialist Alison Edmondson joined from Turcan Connell in 2011.

At Turcan Connell, practice head Alasdair Loudon is ‘an immensely reassuring force’, and Philippa Cunniff is ‘outstanding’. The firm is also noted for its ‘extremely competent staff below partner level’.

Balfour + Manson LLP is ‘highly efficient and experienced in handling all types of family law cases’. Shona Smith ‘excels in her field’, and is ‘diligent and calm under pressure’; and practice head Andrew Gibb is also recommended.

Brodies LLP remains a key player in high-value divorce cases, led by the highly esteemed Scott Cochrane. Associate Marjory Blair moved to Lindsays in Glasgow.

At Anderson Strathern, practice head Susan MacLeod and associate Marika Franceschi have ‘outstanding communication skills and ability to empathise with clients whilst retaining objectivity and independence’. The firm has a particular strength in divorce cases involving high-value claims for financial provision, often with international elements.

Bonar Mackenzie WS’ broad practice, led by Lisa Girdwood, handles matters including divorce, financial provision, separation agreements and children law (including international child abduction).

Catherine Karlin heads HBJ Gateley’s family law practice and is a ‘leading light: professional, succinct and a pleasure to deal with’. Family and children law accredited specialist Sara Matheson is well regarded for children’s referral work, and Shona Templeton is also recommended.

Lindsays boosted its family law practice with the hire of senior associate Marjory Blair, formerly of Brodies LLP, who has expertise in child protection cases. Practice head Lesley Gordon impresses with ‘her skills and manner’, and Alistair Mackie is also recommended.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP’s family team, led by Noel Ferry, has represented numerous high-net-worth individuals in divorce cases, often involving complex share options. Roger Mackenzie has ‘excellent depth of knowledge regarding divorce matters’.

Anne Dick is a ‘strong’ lawyer who heads the family law team in Mowat Hall Dick’s Glasgow office. The firm has expertise in children issues including residence and contact rights, child support, and child abduction.

The well-respected Iain Patience heads the boutique family law practice at Patience and Buchan. Lorna Buchan holds accreditations in family law, children law and family mediation.

At Simpson & Marwick, accredited mediator and family law specialist Shaun George heads the team, which is ‘supportive, professional, calm, responsive and knowledgeable’. Richard Smith is ‘very solid, and takes a considered approach to problems’.

Personal tax, trusts and executries

Turcan Connell remains a ‘cut above the rest’; it is a ‘top firm, fully comparable with the best elsewhere in the UK’. Douglas Connell is ‘outstanding’, and Robin Fulton is also recommended. Donald Simpson and Peter Littlefield were promoted to the partnership in April 2011.

Anderson Strathern’s well-regarded private client practice has capabilities across the spectrum, including in asset protection matters and complex executries. Practice head Colin Henderson and John Biggar are recommended.

The well-respected Hugh Stevens heads Brodies LLP’s very ‘dynamic’ private client team. Alan Barr and Andrew Dalgleish are ‘very knowledgeable and accomplished specialist advisers’; and Susanne Beveridge ‘explains issues in a manner that makes sense’.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP has a ‘consistently excellent’ private client practice. Team head Eleanor Kerr is recommended; Norman Kennedy ‘shows sound common sense, and gives good, practical advice’; and Andrew Biggart is ‘an exemplar of the art of robust, personal legal advice’.

MacRoberts LLP’s private client group advises in relation to private and public sector trusts, adults with incapacity, and tax planning and executry matters, and has particular strength advising on high-value estates with IHT issues. David MacRobert heads the team.

Morton Fraser’s service is ‘excellent, quick and efficient’. Sarah McKinlay, who was recently promoted to partner, is ‘very polished and very good technically’. Sue Hunter heads the team, whose clients include the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Trustees of Sir Henry Wade’s Pilmuir Trust. Senior associate Morna Coutts joined from Turcan Connell.

Balfour + Manson LLP’s private client practice is led by Brenda Rennie, who ‘provides a very high level of personal service’. The team has particular expertise in welfare support for elderly clients. David Campbell ‘inspires total confidence’, and all of the partners are commended for their ‘very good bedside manner’.

Tom Murray heads the team at Gillespie Macandrew LLP, which offers a comprehensive service to its roster of private clients. The group includes investment consultants, rural and business lawyers, and tax specialists. John McArthur heads the tax and trust advisory department.

HBJ Gateley won a number of new private client instructions in 2010, and leveraged its increasing cross-border capability. Glen Gilson heads the team, and Gordon Cunningham has ‘in-depth knowledge of his field, and an impeccable courtesy and understanding of a client’s needs’.

Lindsays strengthened its private client practice in 2010, recruiting Alison Boyd from Anderson Strathern. Practice head John Elliot has ‘technical experience allied to knowledge of investments’; and David Reith, Callum Kennedy and the ‘outstandingly good’ Alison Atack are also recommended.

Murray Beith Murray WS’ private client practice is well respected and has benefited from the firm’s January 2010 absorption of J & RA Robertson, which bolstered the team with the addition of several lawyers including senior solicitor Susan Oates. Graham Scott leads on personal tax and trusts work, while Carole Hope heads the executries practice.

Brian Robertson heads Shepherd and Wedderburn’s private client department, which administers around 250 trusts. The team earns referrals from other firms as well as from financial institutions. Malcom Rust impresses clients with his ‘friendly, reassuring manner and exemplary efficiency’.

Richard Murray heads the wealth management department at Archibald Campbell & Harley WS.

Practice head Gordon Wyllie, Ronnie Brown and Iain Talman are recommended at Biggart Baillie LLP.

Lindsay Darroch is the main contact at Dundee-based Blackadders LLP.

Pagan Osborne Limited is ‘strong in all areas of private client work’, with practice head Alistair Morris and Alan Innes both recommended.

The team at Stronachs LLP is recommended.

Accredited trust specialist Nicholas Barclay is the name to note at Thorntons Law LLP.

Tods Murray LLP’s practice head Gordon 
Cunningham is ‘recommended for his management 
and steering of the team’. Robert Muir is also recommended.

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