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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’.

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