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Denis Garrity leads Brodies LLP’s ‘responsive, commercial and knowledgeable‘ team, which advised Resolution Property on the £58.5m acquisition of Glasgow’s Great Western Retail Park, and LxB on the acquisition of 1,000 acres of land near Edinburgh for a £1.6bn regeneration scheme. Johane McCall is praised for her ‘excellent manner and market knowledge‘, while the ‘personable and highly experienced‘ Dale Strachan is also recommended.

Burness LLP’s group head Richard Rennie is praised for his ‘excellent professional and commercial knowledge and outstanding level of client care‘. Recent highlights include advising on multimillion-pound wind farm deals for Duke Energy and Vattenfall, and advising Cruden Homes and George Wimpey in the completion of the Raploch Regeneration Agreement with Raploch URC Landholdings.

Led by Iain Doran, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s seven-partner practice advised Bank of Scotland in the acquisition of a large mixed-use development site in central Edinburgh from Scottish & Newcastle. Other clients include Land Securities and the Trump Organization, which it advised on the high-profile acquisition and development of a golf resort in Aberdeenshire.

Gordon Aitken heads the team at Maclay Murray & Spens LLP, which is advising Hammerson on Aberdeen’s mixed retail and leisure scheme in Union Square, and Dubai World and Istithmar on the acquisition and subsequent refurbishment of the Turnberry Hotel and Golf Course.

Led by Katharine Hardie, McGrigors LLP’s ‘astute, forward-thinking, responsive and approachable‘ team advised ARE-Europco on the proposed development at Edinburgh BioQuarter. Tom Ferrier, Ewan Alexander, and Alison Newton are recommended.

Elspeth Carson’s ‘excellent‘ 13-partner team at Semple Fraser LLP, which is commended as ‘always having the sufficient resource‘, is Tesco’s sole legal provider in Scotland and also advises the retail giant in the North of England. The firm advised private Irish investors on the £250m purchase of the Frenchgate Interchange shopping centre in Doncaster. The ‘commercially driven‘ Angus MacRae, the ‘prodigious‘ Colin Keenan and the ‘superior‘ Roger Clarke receive strong feedback.

Shepherd And Wedderburn’s team ‘employs talent at all levels - the partners lead from the trenches, are laser focused on customer satisfaction and are fun to work with‘. James Dobie heads the ‘excellent‘ practice, which recently advised Gladedale Ventures on the mixed-use development of the former Royal Infirmary site in Edinburgh. The ‘knowledgeable and reliable‘ Andrew Hall, Michael Henderson and Nick Ryden are recommended.

Anderson Strathern LLP advised the Moyallen group on the £116m acquisition of the Peacocks Shopping Centre in Woking, and the Airport Property Partnership on the £265m sale of 33 property assets to the Arora Family Trust. Ken Gerber heads the team.

Led by Robin Corbett, Biggart Baillie LLP is praised for its ‘commercial knowledge and understanding‘. The team recently advised the BBC on the £18m sale of its Glasgow headquarters, and Falkirk Council on the regeneration of Grangemouth Town Centre.

Laurence Fraser and Allan Mackenzie jointly head MacRoberts LLP’s impressive team, from Glasgow and Edinburgh respectively. The firm advised Wm Morison Supermarkets on its new store developments and the Scottish aspects of its £223m purchase of 38 Co-Operative Food and former Somerfield stores. Other clients include Retail Property Holdings, BAM Properties and John Dewar & Sons.

Morton Fraser’s ‘first-class‘ practice advised Scottish and Newcastle on the sale of its former brewery site in Edinburgh to HBOS. Jonathan Seddon heads the ‘responsive‘ team, whose client reporting extranet is singled out as being particularly useful. The ‘enthusiastic and thoughtful‘ Chris Harte attracts glowing reviews.

Led by Douglas Moffat, Tods Murray LLP advised Dunalastair Estates on a mixed-use development at Wallyford. Other clients include Elphinstone Group, Travelodge Hotels and Balfour Beatty.

Bell & Scott significantly expanded its team in 2008 following the recruitment of Anne McGregor from DLA Piper Scotland LLP, Dawn Anderson from Archibald Campbell & Harley Ws, and John Gallacher from Dundas & Wilson CS LLP. Recent highlights include advising Ecosse Regeneration on the £500m Heartlands Development.

Miles Ede heads HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP’s team, which advised Bank of Ireland on the £26.3m funding to Strategic Investment Management for a mixed-use development at City Wharf in Aberdeen. BT is also a client.

Anderson Fyfe LLP’s team is headed by Kenneth Meldrum. Clients include Redrow Homes, Park Lane Developments and Craighall Developments.

Robin Mitchell heads the team at Archibald Campbell & Harley WS, which acts for several leading retailers including Dixons and Boots.

DLA Piper Scotland LLP drops a tier following the departure of four partners. Drew Wallace’s team advised Warren Private Clients on the purchase of Cameron Toll Sarl.

Led by chief executive Andrew Chalmers, Davidson Chalmers LLP advised Camlin Group on the £26.3m acquisition of Pentland House in Edinburgh. Other clients include Citgroup and Axa.

Dickson Minto WS’s property clients include Kenmore and WG Mitchell.

Under Graeme Nisbet, Harper Macleod LLP advised Progress Property Company in the sale of Commonwealth Games Village Land to Glasgow City Council.

Clients of Lindsays’ ‘responsive and informed‘ practice, which is headed by Derek Nash, include the University of Edinburgh and PAG Hotels. Kenneth Gray and the ‘extremely commercial‘ Linda Barr are recommended.

Philip Sim heads the team at McClure Naismith LLP, which was recently boosted by the arrival of David Thomson from DLA Piper Scotland LLP.

Paull & Williamsons recently advised Glenniffer Estates on a development at Bishopbriggs in Glasgow.

Pinsent Masons LLP advised SIG on the acquisition of eight Scottish properties. Hugh Bruce-Watt heads the team.

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Legal Developments in the UK

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  • Student employees – new restrictions on employment

    On 10 February 2010 a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules was laid before Parliament which is due to come into force on 3 March 2010.
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    - Bircham Dyson Bell LLP

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Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

  • KF Fastigheter develops the trade area Mobilia in Lund

    KF Fastigheter has acquired parts of the trade area Mobilia in Lund, and will together with Arne Paulssons Byggnads AB develop the area, including i.a. a Coop supermarket. KF Fastigheter has in connection herewith sold a larger property in central Lund to Paulssons. Mannheimer Swartling advised KF Fastigheter.
    – Mannheimer Swartling

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    – Mannheimer Swartling

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    – Mannheimer Swartling

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    – Mannheimer Swartling

  • Södra Timber acquires Trivselhus

    Mannheimer Swartling has advised Södra Timber in connection with its acquisition of Ittur Prefab Industrier AB, the parent company of the Trivselhus Group, one of Sweden’s leading producers of prefabricated homes. Closing is expected to take place on 1 October 2009. The transaction is subject to inter alia competition clearance.
    – Mannheimer Swartling

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    Mannheimer Swartling has assisted Varian Medical Systems in entering into agreements for delivery of a proton therapy system to Skandionkliniken. The agreements include supply of an estimated USD 60 million in products. Varian Medical Systems will also have a five year service agreement valued at approximately USD 25 million. Skandionkliniken is the first clinical centre for proton therapy in Scandinavia and will have a capacity of treating 1,000 – 2,500 cancer patients per year. Varian Medical Systems is the world’s leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer.
    – Mannheimer Swartling

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    – Mannheimer Swartling

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    Mannheimer Swartling has advised Stena Bulk AB in its new joint venture with Japanese shipping company Asahi Tankers. The joint venture company, Asahi Stena Tankers, will be owned 50/50 by the parties and will invest in tonnage of varying sizes, initially focusing on Suezmax tankers for global transportation of crude oil.
    – Mannheimer Swartling

  • Skandia Liv signs asset management agreement with DnB NOR

    Mannheimer Swartling has advised Skandia Liv on an agreement with DnB NOR to manage a portfolio of assets valued at approximately SEK 80 billion. The agreement replaces a previous asset management agreement between the parties and covers DnB NOR’s continued management of a portfolio of Swedish shares and interest and includes a number of special mandates, amongst others in tactical allocation and advice on “socially responsible investing.”
    – Mannheimer Swartling
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