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Brodies LLP is ‘unhesitatingly recommended for planning and advocacy work’, with practice head Neil Collar ‘offering a very sensible and tough approach where necessary’. Recent highlights include advising Shore Energy Limited in an appeal against refusal of planning permission for an energy-from-waste plant in North Lanarkshire.

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s ‘robust’ planning team delivers ‘thorough and detailed work in a responsive manner’. Highlights included its appointment to Glasgow City Council’s newly established legal panel. Practice head Sandy Telfer is ‘tenacious, meticulous and creative’.

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s ‘first-class’ planning practice advised Druim Ba Sustainable Energy on its proposed s36 application for a major onshore wind farm near Inverness. Practice head Ann Faulds is highly recommended.

Shepherd and Wedderburn’s planning practice ‘demonstrates the highest standard of service, with a full and current knowledge of the law’. Thanks to the wind farm expertise of Colin Innes – ‘one of the finest planning lawyers there is’ – the team achieved wind farm inquiry wins in 2010 for Vattenfall Limited, Baillie Windfarm Limited and I&H Brown Limited. Ewan MacLeod is also recommended.

Murray Shaw’s planning team at Biggart Baillie LLP provides ‘outstanding response times and business acumen’, with Martin Sales singled out for his ‘excellent knowledge of the renewable energy industry’. It is advising Aberdeenshire Council on issues arising from the Trump Organisation’s application for a golf and leisure resort at Balmedie.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP fields an ‘experienced planning team that can quickly get up to speed’. It advises a sizeable client base of developers on major project matters, including the South East Ayr Major Growth Area. Scotland planning head Gillian Simpson provides ‘sound and clear-cut advice’; and Chris Smylie heads the English law practice.

MacRoberts LLP’s ‘multi-disciplinary team of planning experts’ meets ‘a very high standard, and tailors advice to the client’s needs’. Jamie Grant heads the group, which was augmented at associate level through the lateral hire of Moray Thomson and Frances Pacitti from Shepherd and Wedderburn.

Jacqueline Harris leads the UK-wide planning team at McGrigors LLP, with the Scottish contingent appreciated for ‘well-founded advice and a very quick and efficient response to all queries and instructions’. In 2010, the team advised Scottish Power on the consent aspects of its proposed carbon capture and storage 
plant at Longannet power station. John Curran retired from the partnership, but remains on hand as a consultant.

The team at Paull & Williamsons LLP ‘maintains close contact with academic institutions as well as appropriate business forums, enabling personnel to be kept fully up to date with emerging practice and business trends’. The ‘enthusiastic and committed’ Elaine Farquharson-Black heads the practice, which acted for Total E&P UK on planning permission for the erection of a gas-processing plant.

Semple Fraser LLP is applauded for ‘its rigorous approach to challenges and highly professional manner’, and is very active for key client Tesco. June Gilles and Kenneth Carruthers are recommended.

Anderson Strathern’s ‘collaborative and communicative’ planning team has a standout figure in practice head Alastair McKie, whose ‘first-rate knowledge of planning law and practice’ makes him ‘one of the leading planning lawyers in Scotland’.

Clients find it ‘hard to fault’ Burness LLP ‘for all-round capability and service’. Practice head Ian Wattie is ‘an exceptional lawyer, technically excellent and very commercial’.

Harper Macleod LLP’s Pamela Todd and associate Lee Murphy are recommended for their ‘public sector experience and clear advice in negotiating complex and challenging planning matters’.

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