The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow, tier 5

Christian Hook and Austin Flynn at Morton Fraser are recommended.

Within Licensing, Morton Fraser is a third tier firm,

Morton Fraser’s clients include Scottish & Newcastle, Travelodge Hotels, and Midlothian Council, which it is representing on several liquor and Civic Government licensing appeals. David Hossack heads the team.

Within Commercial litigation, Morton Fraser is a third tier firm,

‘The work is carried out quickly and efficiently and the solicitors clearly have an in-depth knowledge of their subject‘ at Morton Fraser. Ewan McIntyre’s team boasts a quality client base that includes Lloyds TSB, Scottish & Newcastle, and AMEC.

Within Debt recovery, Morton Fraser is a second tier firm,

Morton Fraser enjoys a good reputation for high-value debt recovery work, advising clients such as Midlothian Council, Nationwide Building Society and Fortis Lease. Maggie Moodie heads the team.

Within Banking and finance , tier 4

Morton Fraser’s ‘responsible, efficient and truly specialist‘ asset finance practice is led by Susan Younger. The firm advised Fortis Lease on a range of yacht and aircraft financings, and Mitsubishi on the Scottish aspects of a US$370m financing of the North Sea oil fields. Clients hail Bruce Wood as ‘a colossus of the Scottish asset finance industry‘, and Graeme Heaton as ‘a very safe pair of hands‘.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, tier 5

Ewan McIntyre at Morton Fraser is ‘authoritative and practical‘.

Within Employment, Morton Fraser is a second tier firm,

Morton Fraser’s ‘excellent and wholly professional‘ team boasts a complement of ‘approachable and knowledgeable‘ lawyers, including ‘superb‘ group head Innes Clark and partner Duncan Murray. Clients include the MoD and the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association.

Within Health and safety, Morton Fraser is a second tier firm,

Morton Fraser’s role as legal adviser to the Health and Safety Executive ensures a steady stream of major cases. Ewan McIntyre’s team also boasts several major private sector clients including the MoD, AMEC and BAA Airports.

Within Personal injury - defender, Morton Fraser is a first tier firm,

Morton Fraser’s practice is commended for its ‘excellent technical capability, overall attitude and working relationships‘. The firm has handled major cases for the MoD, including the high-profile civil claims raised by relatives of the 14 servicemen killed in the Nimrod accident in Afghanistan in 2006. Group head Ewan McIntyre and John Barrie receive high praise.

Within Agriculture and estates, Morton Fraser is a third tier firm,

James Rust’s team at Morton Fraser advised Sir Henry Wade’s Piillmuir Trust on its negotiations with agricultural tenants for the purchase of part of the farm. Other clients include Balmoral Estates and the Scottish Agricultural College.

Within Charities, Morton Fraser is a third tier firm,

Morton Fraser’s practice was boosted by the arrival of Robin Morton, following the takeover of his firm Skene Edwards in September 2008. Scott Rae’s team advised Dyslexia Scotland on its new constitution, while other clients include the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Historic Scotland and Lothian Cat Rescue.

Within Family, Morton Fraser is a first tier firm,

Morton Fraser’s ‘outstanding‘ family practice is headed by the ‘bright, strong, clear, compassionate and fun‘ Leonard Mair. The growing team added to its ranks in Glasgow and promoted Fiona Sasan to partner.

Within Personal tax, trusts and executries, Morton Fraser is a second tier firm,

Morton Fraser’s practice was boosted following its takeover of Skene Edwards, which brought in ‘excellent, proactive and reliable‘ partner Robin Morton. Dorothy Kellas heads the team, which also includes Scott Rae and James Rust.

Within Energy, tier 4

A new entrant to the ranking, Morton Fraser’s niche nuclear energy practice is led by litigation head Ewan McIntyre. The firm is Scottish counsel to the UK Atomic Energy Authority, recently advising it on planning issues relating to the Dounreay plant in Caithness.

Within Local government, Morton Fraser is a third tier firm,

Morton Fraser advised Midlothian Council on a number of litigation issues, while other clients include South Lanarkshire Council and Falkirk Council. Andrew Meakin heads the team.

Within Parliamentary , Morton Fraser is a third tier firm,

Andrew Meakin’s team at Morton Fraser is a panel member of the Scottish Government Legal Directorate and acts for the MoD.

Within Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow, Morton Fraser is a second tier firm,

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.

Within Commercial property: Elsewhere in Scotland

Within Commercial property: Elsewhere in Scotland

Within Construction, tier 4

Morton Fraser’s ‘innovative and commercial‘ group head Jonathan Seddon is praised for his ‘forensic ability to assess a matter and find a way forward‘. The firm represented the French contractor Ascom SAS on an adjudication and Court of Session action relating to the design and instillation of tollbooths on the Forth Road Bridge.

Within Environment

Within Planning

Within Property litigation, Morton Fraser is a second tier firm,

Morton Fraser’s ‘extremely prompt and business-like‘ practice is headed by John Barrie, and is praised as giving ‘sensible and thorough advice‘. Clients include the MoD, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, and Scottish & Newcastle.

Within Social housing, Morton Fraser is a second tier firm,

Morton Fraser is praised for its ‘up-to-date commercial understanding‘. Led by ‘approachable‘ group head Andrew Meakin, who is praised for his ‘in-depth knowledge‘, the firm advised Lloyds TSB on its £13m financing of the Tenants First Housing Co-operative. Other clients include RBS.

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 Transport, Morton Fraser is a third tier firm,

Morton Fraser advised BAA on disputes arising from its Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports, and Fortis Lease on several yacht and aircraft financings. Senior associate Beverley Wood heads the team.