United Kingdom > Scotland > Projects, energy and natural resources
Energy (excluding oil and gas)
Energy (excluding oil and gas)
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- Dundas & Wilson CS LLP (Edinburgh, Glasgow)
- Pinsent Masons LLP (Aberdeen, Edinburgh)
- Shepherd and Wedderburn (Edinburgh, Glasgow)
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2
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DWF Biggart Baillie (Edinburgh) - Maclay Murray & Spens LLP (Edinburgh)
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- Anderson Strathern (Edinburgh)
- Brodies LLP (Edinburgh)
- Burness LLP (Glasgow)
- CMS Cameron McKenna LLP (Edinburgh, Aberdeen)
- Gillespie Macandrew LLP (Edinburgh)
- HBJ Gateley (Edinburgh)
- MacRoberts LLP (Edinburgh)
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- bto (Glasgow)
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DLA Piper Scotland LLP (Edinburgh) -
Harper Macleod LLP (Edinburgh, Glasgow)
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Tods Murray LLP (Edinburgh) -
Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP (Glasgow)
Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s energy team advises many of the household names in the Scottish marketplace, including National Grid, EDF Energy and Scottish Water. Offshore wind, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and energy from waste were all active areas in 2011, with highlights including representing Inch Cape Offshore Limited in its wind farm development, notable as the largest of the seven offshore wind farm projects approved for Scottish territorial waters. David McGowan is the key figure.
Now head of Pinsent Masons LLP’s prominent energy practice, Bob Ruddiman’s expertise spans the full range of energy projects, from thermal power to offshore and onshore wind farms and biomass, and he goes ‘above and beyond the remit to make transactions happen’. Highlights included representing Blue Energy in its acquisition of the Westmill solar park in Oxfordshire. Euan McVicar ‘has his finger on the pulse of sector developments’, and Nicholas Shenken is also recommended.
Shepherd and Wedderburn’s energy team is appreciated for its ‘strong dedication to the client and pragmatic, high-quality and client-focused advice’. In 2011 it acted for SMart Wind Limited, a joint venture between Mainstream Renewable Power and Siemens Project Ventures, in securing consent for the development of eight 500MW offshore wind farms in the Hornsea zone. Practice head James Saunders is highly recommended for his ‘critical thinking and pragmatic advice’.
The team at DWF Biggart Baillie has a strong reputation in the electricity, gas and renewables sectors, and a track record dating back to the electricity sector’s privatisation two decades ago. Highlights in 2011 included representing SP Transmission Ltd in negotiation of a new substation and grid connection for a 144MW, 48-turbine wind farm. Planning expert Martin Sales has ‘extensive experience and legal knowledge’.
Maclay Murray & Spens LLP’s energy practice straddles the transactional and regulatory arenas through renewables head David Cruickshank and energy regulatory expert Michael Dean. In 2011, the team acted for the Combination of Rothes Distillers Limited regarding a £60.5m bio-energy joint venture.
Anderson Strathern fields ‘a strong and knowledgeable team with key experience in the energy industry’. It handles a range of renewable energy mandates for a diverse client base of developers, such as Acciona Energy UK and E-gen. In 2011 it advised The Crown Estate on the completion of lease agreements for the world’s first commercial wave and tidal electricity project. Practice head Bruce Farquhar is ‘attentive, and has deep industry knowledge’.
Brodies LLP’s six-partner energy team provides ‘supremely competent advice that is always timely and appropriate’. It acted for key client Co-op Bank in the project financing of the 27MW Little Raith wind farm. Practice head Neil Collar is ‘very easy to work with and supremely knowledgeable’.
Burness LLP’s ‘excellent, professional and friendly’ energy practice had another strong year, which included appointment to Centrica’s legal panel in Scotland. It is a popular choice with leading London firms requiring Scottish law assistance, and in 2011 acted on the Scottish law aspects of Lloyd Fonds AG’s €6.35m purchase of Lairg wind farm, with Norton Rose LLP and Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP also involved. James Forbes leads the practice.
CMS Cameron McKenna LLP’s burgeoning renewable energy practice acted for Earlsburn Wind Energy Limited on the development of its onshore wind farm. Penelope Warne’s team – which includes real estate and planning expert Timothy Pitt – received a boost with the recruitment of project finance expert Gordon Hay from Shepherd and Wedderburn.
Gillespie Macandrew LLP’s energy practice has ‘a flexible and adaptable approach and the ability to see the bigger picture’. Historically active on the landowner and developer sides, it has been growing its profile with energy companies. Practice head Kirsty Macpherson ‘involves herself fully and leads from the front’.
HBJ Gateley’s ‘exemplary commitment to the client’s needs, value for money and strength in depth’ are all factors in the energy team’s success in attracting clients such as Topaz Energy and Marine and Galliford Try. In 2011 it advised Burcote Wind Limited on its portfolio of onshore wind farms, which range from 12MW to 75MW. The ‘excellent’ Alan Simpson and practice head Alan Shanks are recommended.
MacRoberts LLP grew its energy practice at partner level in 2011 through the promotion of Moray Thompson and project finance specialist Lillian Mackenzie, and Michael Murphy returned to the team following the end of his six-year stint as the firm’s managing partner. It has a strong profile among power generators such as Scottish Power, EDF and SSE, and acted for the latter in the Beauly to Denny transmission line and grid reinforcement. Nick Jones heads the practice.
bto’s renewables team is ‘a small but tight operating unit with highly skilled personnel’, and is particularly well known among developers in the onshore, hydroelectric, biomass and energy-from-waste sectors. In 2011 it acted for Inver Hydro LLP on the funding of a hydro development in Jura. Ralph Riddiough and James Dickson have ‘comprehensive knowledge of the renewables arena’.
At DLA Piper Scotland LLP, Gareth Parry acted for Scottish Water Horizons on the procurement of the first of a series of anaerobic digestor plants. His construction expertise extends to feed-in tariffs for solar projects.
Harper Macleod LLP’s renewable energy practice has ‘good field knowledge and pays particular attention to legal requirements’. In 2011 it acted for key client e.on Climate & Renewables UK Development on all property-related issues arising from its Rosehall wind farm project. David Bone and Derek Hogg ‘are both good at what they do’.
Tods Murray LLP has built on its reputation in real estate to develop a solid platform in onshore wind farm projects, and acted for Barclays Bank in an investment into a marine energy project.
Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP’s Andy McFarlane is expert in the leasing and development of onshore wind farms and hydro projects.
Oil and gas
Oil and gas
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- CMS Cameron McKenna LLP (Aberdeen, Edinburgh)
- Pinsent Masons LLP (Aberdeen)
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- Paull & Williamsons LLP (Aberdeen)
- Stronachs LLP (Aberdeen)
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3
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Bond Pearce LLP (Aberdeen) - Brodies LLP (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow)
- Maclay Murray & Spens LLP (Aberdeen)
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- Shepherd and Wedderburn (Edinburgh)
CMS Cameron McKenna LLP’s top-end practice acts for prominent oil and gas giants such as BP and ConocoPhillips. In 2011 it represented the former in its $610m disposal of interests in the Wytch Farm, Wareham, Beacon and Kimmeridge fields to Perenco UK. The highly respected Penelope Warne led on that deal, and the core team also includes the ‘outstanding’ Judith Aldersey-Williams.
Pinsent Masons LLP’s absorption of McGrigors LLP’s ‘high-quality’ Aberdeen-based oil and gas practice expanded its client base of oil majors and independents on the exploration and production (E&P) side, as well as giving it a strong foothold in the oil services sector. Cross-border work was a key theme for the practice in 2011; it advised Nigeria-based Jagal Group, for instance, on its joint venture with Subsea 7 to assist oil companies in the execution of local projects in Nigeria. Practice head Bob Ruddiman is highly recommended, as is Rosalie Chadwick.
Paull & Williamsons LLP’s E&P clients particularly appreciate the in-house expertise of lead partners Bruce McLeod and Brian Hemming, who have ‘a practical and pragmatic approach and excellent industry knowledge’. Highlights included advising Bridge Energy on its negotiations with ConocoPhillips to gain access to its southern North Sea infrastructure.
Stronachs LLP’s core strength lies in upstream oil and gas acquisition work, and it has also developed a specialism in field development, supply chain and decommissioning issues for its North Sea operator clients. In 2011, the firm was appointed to key client Centrica Energy’s strategic panel; it is the only non-City firm to hold that position. David Sheach leads the team, which includes the highly respected Malcolm Donald and James Downie.
Bond Pearce LLP’s oil and gas expertise spans field development, asset acquisition and divestitures, corporate acquisitions and disposals, and joint venture agreements. In 2011 it advised Valiant Petroleum Ltd on the construction and tie-on agreements relating to the Causeway field. Kenny Paton and Finlay Crossan are recommended.
The addition of Clare Munro’s ‘excellent industry knowledge and experience’ to Brodies LLP’s newly formed Aberdeen office has given the firm a strong platform from which to build. In 2011 it advised Endeavour Energy UK Limited on its $330m purchase of various assets from ConocoPhillips. Greg May has ‘extensive knowledge of oil and gas law’.
Maclay Murray & Spens LLP’s Aberdeen-based oil and gas team advised AF Decom Offshore UK Limited on its plans to establish a new decommissioning base in Shetland. Uisdean Vass is ‘unflappable’, and Richard Cockburn is ‘precise and clear’.
At Shepherd and Wedderburn, Edinburgh-based Stephen Trombala has taken on the firm’s oil and gas work following the departure of former practice head Richard Cockburn to Maclay Murray & Spens LLP and Kevin McGrory to Seven Energy. Trombala and Paul Hally handle corporate and finance matters for clients including Cairn Energy and Bowleven.
Projects
Projects
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1
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DLA Piper Scotland LLP (Edinburgh, Glasgow) - Dundas & Wilson CS LLP (Glasgow, Edinburgh)
- MacRoberts LLP (Edinburgh, Glasgow)
- Pinsent Masons LLP (Edinburgh, Glasgow)
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2
- Brodies LLP (Edinburgh)
- Maclay Murray & Spens LLP (Edinburgh)
- McClure Naismith LLP (Edinburgh)
- Shepherd and Wedderburn (Glasgow)
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3
- Anderson Strathern (Edinburgh)
- Burness LLP (Edinburgh)
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DWF Biggart Baillie (Edinburgh, Glasgow) -
Tods Murray LLP (Edinburgh)
DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s projects practice has ‘extensive expertise across all levels of the UK PPP model’, and its service is ‘comprehensive and tailored to the client’s needs’. It acted on the £1.7bn Forth Replacement Crossing infrastructure project for Transport Scotland in 2011. UK-wide project finance head Stuart McMillan is ‘very knowledgeable, helpful and protective of his clients’, and Sharon Fitzgerald is ‘very strong on procurement issues’.
Dundas & Wilson CS LLP provides ‘effective and efficient advice that is free from jargon’, and has ‘particular strength in EU procurement matters’. Highlights for the six-partner team included advising Amber Blue Consortium on its bid for the East Central Territory hub project. Alistair McLean is ‘particularly valued for his creative thinking’.
The smaller scale of MacRoberts LLP’s practice is compensated by its ‘ability to draw on wider resources and offer good value for money as a result’. In 2011 it represented NHS Lothian in the £150m Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences NPD project. Andrew Orr and newly promoted partner Lillian Mackenzie are ‘committed and knowledgeable’.
Pinsent Masons LLP’s combination with McGrigors LLP enhanced its ‘strong knowledge of the Scottish market’. In 2011, the team acted for hub South East Scotland Limited on the first four transactions to close as part of its pathfinder project. Michael Watson heads the team, which includes Drysdale Graham and Stuart Barr, who has ‘a complete and detailed knowledge of public sector projects’.
Brodies LLP has strong waste management PPP expertise, and advised Scottish Borders Council on procuring a long-term waste management services PPP project. It is also very active in the project finance arena, thanks to its longstanding relationship with Co-op Bank. Keith Patterson heads the projects, energy and infrastructure group.
Maclay Murray & Spens LLP has ‘very commercial and knowledgeable PFI expertise’. In 2011 it represented John Laing Investments Limited and Laing O’Rourke in their bid for the £200m Glasgow College NPD project. Euan Wilson and Rod Munro are highly recommended.
McClure Naismith LLP’s client base spans public sector entities (for example, NHS Lanarkshire), investors (Amber Infrastructure), contractors (Miller Group) and funders (Landsbanki and Helaba), giving it expertise on all sides of a project. Steven Brown heads the practice.
Transport, healthcare, waste, renewables, leisure, education and defence are all areas of experience for Shepherd and Wedderburn’s projects practice, which acts for clients such as the Ministry of Defence and Viridor Waste Management. Rhona Harper heads the practice.
Anderson Strathern has a particularly strong record on education sector mandates, and is acting for the contractor E Pihl and Sons as part of a consortium building ten primary and secondary schools in Aberdeen. Karyn Watt is the practice’s key figure.
Burness LLP’s record advising public and private sector clients ‘allows it to give intelligently informed advice’. In 2011 it advised Orkney Islands Council on a joint venture model for the Orkney schools project. Practice head Chris Mackay has ‘strong procurement knowledge’.
DWF Biggart Baillie’s team provides ‘a high level of service and industry knowledge’ in its chosen specialism of transport infrastructure projects. In 2011 it acted for Siemens plc on the £776m Edinburgh Trams project. Martin Gallaher heads the group, which includes ‘infrastructure expert’ Neil Amner.
Tods Murray LLP has ‘very good knowledge of the PFI industry’, and is noted for its ‘speedy responses and a pragmatic approach’. In 2011 it acted for Balfour Beatty Capital Ltd on the Cambridgeshire Streetlighting PFI project. Practice head Stephen Colliston and Nigel Sievwright have ‘good commercial sense and are excellent with clients’.