The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow, tier 5

Anderson Strathern LLP’s Simon Brown is ‘excellent‘.

Within EU and competition, tier 4

Led by corporate head Simon Brown, Anderson Strathern LLP advised Strathclyde Partnership for Transport as authorised undertaker of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link scheme.

Within Licensing, Anderson Strathern LLP is a third tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP’s impressive list of clients includes National Trust for Scotland, North British Trust Hotels and Scottish Midland Co-operative Society. David Hunter heads the team.

Within Commercial litigation, Anderson Strathern LLP is a third tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP delivers a ‘first-class service‘ and ‘timely and pragmatic advice‘. Robert Fife’s team, which expanded through the firm’s merger with Glasgow’s Kerr & Co and the arrival of Alison Forsyth, acted on a range of major disputes for clients such as Kwik-Fit, Porsche and Wetrooms International.

Within Debt recovery, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

Ruari MacNeill leads Anderson Strathern LLP’s ‘comprehensive‘ team, whose level of knowledge ‘cannot be faulted‘. The firm advises an impressive range of major banks and building societies, as well as corporate creditors.

Within Banking and finance , tier 5

Anderson Strathern LLP’s team head James Blair is ‘proactive and sensible‘.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, tier 4

Anderson Strathern LLP acted for the Insolvency Service in a TUPE liability claim relating to a transfer of employees during provisional liquidiation. The team is headed by newly promoted partner Katrina Lumsdaine.

Within Employment, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP’s ‘first-rate‘ employment unit is headed by Neil Maclean. The firm is the University of Edinburgh’s sole employment counsel, while other clients include Scottish & Southern Energy, Invitrogen and Strathclyde Passenger Transport. Alun Thomas is recommended.

Within Health and safety, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

The ‘extremely professional, competent, friendly and approachable‘ team at Anderson Strathern LLP is headed by Robert Fife, who is praised for his ‘huge wealth of experience and excellent insights and advice‘. The firm was recently appointed to advise the Health and Safety Executive, and also represents the Royal College of Nursing, John Lewis Partnership and Kwik-Fit.

Within Medical negligence - defender, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP advises the Royal College of Nursing, and successfully represented nurse Fiona Graham in a Court of Session appeal against a decision to strike her off. Robert Carr heads the team.

Within Medical negligence - pursuer, Anderson Strathern LLP is a first tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP’s first-class team, which is headed by firm chairman and solicitor-advocate Robert Carr, regularly advises clients on high-profile, complex and sensitive cases. Associate Catriona Watt is recommended.

Within Personal injury - defender, Anderson Strathern LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘knowledgeable‘ Andrew Lothian and Douglas Keir jointly lead Anderson Strathern LLP’s team. Clients include Co-operative Insurance, INEOS and Zurich Commercial.

Within Personal injury - pursuer, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

Led by chairman Robert Carr, Anderson Strathern LLP specialises in complex, high-profile, high-value claims.

Within Professional negligence, Anderson Strathern LLP is a third tier firm,

Robert Carr heads the team at Anderson Strathern LLP, which also includes Law Society of Scotland Pursuer’s Panel member Fiona Stephen. The firm is recommended both on the defender and pursuer side.

Within Agriculture and estates, Anderson Strathern LLP is a first tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP acts for some of the biggest landowners in Scotland, including the Buccleuch Group, The Crown Estate and the National Trust for Scotland. Led by the ‘unflappable‘ Alasdair Fox, the ‘outstanding‘ team advises on the full range of issues, including renewable energy projects, forestry, leasing, and sales and purchases. James Drysdale is recommended.

Within Charities, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP’s practice is headed by associate Anne Swarbrick and draws on the expertise of several key partners, including Robin Stimpson and Alun Thomas. Clients include Age Concern Scotland, Fettes College, and National Trust for Scotland.

Within Family, Anderson Strathern LLP is a third tier firm,

Led by Susan MacLeod, Anderson Strathern LLP continues to act on high-profile matters, including cross-border divorces and child custody cases.

Within Personal tax, trusts and executries, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP extended its reach into Glasgow through its takeover of McVies, where the team included probate and capital taxes planning expert Chris Wilkin. The highly rated Colin Henderson leads the team.

Within Energy, tier 4

Led by planning and environment head Alastair McKie, Anderson Strathern LLP advised RWE Npower on the Braan Hydro Project and also acted on a number of wind farm projects. Other clients include Composite Energy, the Coal Authority and INEOS.

Within Projects, tier 4

Anderson Strathern LLP’s joint practice heads Keith Bishop and Karyn Watt are recommended.

Within Education, Anderson Strathern LLP is a first tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP’s ‘robust and business-focused‘ team head Alun Thomas has ‘a deep understanding of the sector‘. The ‘excellent‘ group advised the University of Stirling on the spin out of its Macrobert Arts Centre as an independent registered Scottish charity, while other clients include Edinburgh Napier University and Fettes College.

Within Health, Anderson Strathern LLP is a first tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP’s broad practice spans Scotland’s health sector, advising regulatory bodies such as the General Medical Council and General Dental Council, and private sector clients such as the Quercus Healthcare Property Partnership. Chairman Robert Carr heads the team, which is backed up by a first-class medical negligence practice.

Within Local government, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP’s team, which is led by chairman Robert Carr, advised Strathclyde Partnership for Transport on all aspects of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link. The firm is considered ‘among the best‘, with clients praising Robert MacLean and associate Audrey Cameron for their ‘quick, practical advice‘.

Within Parliamentary , Anderson Strathern LLP is a first tier firm,

Led by Fiona Killen, Anderson Strathern LLP’s parliamentary and public law unit remains a market leader. Clients include the Scottish Information Commissioner, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, and the Scottish Parliament, for which it drafts Non-Executive Bills.

Within Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

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.

Within Commercial property: Elsewhere in Scotland

Within Commercial property: Elsewhere in Scotland

Within Construction, tier 5

Anderson Strathern LLP advised the contractor and consortium member on the £110m Aberdeen Schools project. Keith Bishop heads the team.

Within Environment

Within Planning, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

Headed by the ‘exceptional‘ Alastair McKie, Anderson Strathern LLP’s practice is praised for its ‘expertise and in-depth knowledge‘. Recently it advised Whitekirk Developments on its successful planning application for a hotel and golf resort outside of Edinburgh. Other clients include Buccleuch Estates, RWE npower, and Douglas & Angus Estates.

Within Property litigation

Within Social housing

Within Regional review,

Scotland was also home to a number of law firm mergers in 2008. Anderson Strathern LLP pulled off two - with Glasgow firm Kerr & Co and private client boutique McVies; Lindsays boosted its Glasgow presence through a tie-up with Kidstons; and Morton Fraser acquired historic Edinburgh private client firm Skene Edwards.

Within Information technologyand intellectual property, Anderson Strathern LLP is a third tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP’s practice is led by the ‘courteous, efficient, experienced and completely reliable‘ Simon Brown, and was boosted by the arrival of IP partner Katrina Lumsdaine from DLA Piper Scotland LLP. Clients include Lewis Multimedia, Kwik-Fit, and Napier University.

Within Media and entertainment, Anderson Strathern LLP is a third tier firm,

Led by Simon Brown, Anderson Strathern LLP is praised for its ‘pragmatism and approachability‘. Clients include STV Group and The Bay City Rollers.

Within Sport, Anderson Strathern LLP is a first tier firm,

Jointly led by John Kerr and Frank Gill, Anderson Strathern LLP is praised for its ‘in-depth knowledge, and prompt and detailed service‘. Clients include Scottish Rugby Union, Amateur Boxing Scotland and the Lawn Tennis Association.

Within Transport, Anderson Strathern LLP is a second tier firm,

Anderson Strathern LLP’s ‘business acumen and detailed understanding is invaluable‘. The team advised Strathclyde Partnership for Transport as authorised undertaker on all aspects of the £200m Glasgow Airport Rail Link. Alastair McKie heads the team.