The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial Edinburgh and Glasgow: , tier 4

Lindsays enters the rankings this year. David Wood heads the team, which was strengthened by the addition of former Brodies LLP corporate partner Jamie Millar in the Glasgow office, and is noted for its ‘fast response times and good, appropriate and useable advice’.

Within Licensing, Lindsays is a first tier firm,

Lindsays enjoyed a busy year in 2010, and recruited consultant John Batters, whose ‘knowledge is second to none’. Stephen McGowan joined from Tods Murray.

Within Banking and finance , tier 5

Lindsays recently hired Jamie Millar from Brodies LLP to reinforce its corporate and banking teams. He joins a banking practice that represents Scotland’s big three banks, and recently secured appointment to Santander UK’s corporate legal panel. David Lindgren is recommended.

Within Employment, Lindsays is a third tier firm,

Iain Atack is a key figure at Lindsays, which provides ‘excellent advice within responsive timeframes’, and a ‘superb overall level of service’. The firm strengthened its Edinburgh practice with the addition of Frances McAulay.

Within Agriculture and estates, tier 4

Lindsays’ ‘very professional’ team provides an ‘excellent level of service’. Rural services group head Michael Yellowless and consultant David Sturrock are highly recommended. Senior associate Andrew Linehan joined from Turcan Connell in January 2010.

Within Charities, Lindsays is a second tier firm,

Lindsays focuses on the corporate aspects of charities law, including governance and reorganisations. Highlights included assisting on the merger of OneKind with St Andrew Animal Fund. Team head Alastair Keatinge has ‘exceptional and up-to-date knowledge’.

Within Family, Lindsays is a third tier firm,

Brodies LLP remains a key player in high-value divorce cases, led by the highly esteemed Scott Cochrane. Associate Marjory Blair moved to Lindsays in Glasgow.

Within Personal tax, trusts and executries, Lindsays is a third tier firm,

Lindsays strengthened its private client practice in 2010, recruiting Alison Boyd from Anderson Strathern. Practice head John Elliot has ‘technical experience allied to knowledge of investments’; and David Reith, Callum Kennedy and the ‘outstandingly good’ Alison Atack are also recommended.

Within Education, Lindsays is a first tier firm,

Leigh Davidson heads the team at Lindsays, which is advising the University of St Andrews on a commercial collaboration with the St Andrews Entrepreneurial Partnership. David Wood is recommended.

Within Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow, Lindsays is a third tier firm,

Lindsays provides ‘satisfactory and effective advice and responses, with sufficient strength in depth to ensure continuity on instructions’. Derek Nash heads the team, which acted for the Royal National Institute of Blind People on leasing a property in Glasgow. The ‘knowledgeable and effective’ Kenny Gray is also recommended.

Within Construction Construction

Within Intellectual property, Lindsays is a third tier firm,

David Wood is the main contact at Lindsays, which handles a number of IP matters for its university client base.