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Morton Fraser

QUARTERMILE TWO, 2 LISTER SQUARE, EDINBURGH, EN3 9GL
Tel:
Work 0131 247 1000
Fax:
Fax 0131 247 1007
DX:
EDINBURGH 119
Web:
www.morton-fraser.com
Email:
London, Glasgow, Edinburgh

Morton Fraser is one of the largest full-service law firms based in Scotland, but works for clients across the UK. Its broad and diverse business base and top-rated and award-winning expertise means that it can advise clients on the entire range of commercial and personal legal services. The firm contains several award-winning lawyers and outstanding experts in their field in various areas, from asset finance to family law.

The firm: The practice was founded nearly 180 years ago and became known as Morton Fraser in 2000. With offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London, it has 35 partners and a total of over 260 staff. Its continued expansion has been based on a combination of retaining long-term clients and winning new work across a variety of sectors. Recent growth has instigated the planned move of the Edinburgh office to new purpose-built premises in late 2009 and further expansion of the Glasgow office.

As well as representing a number of Scotland’s top-100 companies and having a strong reputation in banking, the firm has extensive experience in the public sector, often advising at a senior level on sensitive and high-profile issues. The firm’s public sector team combines expertise from specialisms across all relevant areas and the team understands the particular issues which are of importance to its clients, which include the Ministry of Defence, the Scottish Government, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, the Health & Safety Executive and local authorities.

Though most clients are based in Scotland, the firm has many English clients and a number of dual-qualified solicitors, as well as an English real estate team, and also carries out a considerable volume of work with an international dimension. The firm prides itself on providing clients with an excellent service, based on differentiating itself in the market place through innovation and approachability. The firm aims to be viewed as part of a client’s team and to get to know the issues which are of concern to its business, so that it can tailor its advice and make a tangible difference.

Morton Fraser is the Scottish member of Interlaw, an international association of 66 independent law firms with more than 5,000 lawyers in 120 cities worldwide. It has access to first-class lawyers around the globe and can provide fast and efficient advice.

Types of work undertaken: The firm has one of the largest commercial litigation teams in Scotland, handling a range of contractual disputes, construction and property disputes, professional negligence, pursuer and defender reparation work, insurance, employment law, immigration, intellectual property and information technology work and licensing, as well as judicial review, planning, environmental law and mediation. The debt recovery team includes one of only a handful of Scottish solicitors to hold the Joint Insolvency Examination Board qualification and handles all forms of secured and unsecured debt recovery and credit management.

Commercial property is a major specialism, including purchase and sale of all types of real estate, retail and general leasing, property investment, property portfolios, finance, lender services, licensed properties, planning issues, public sector property issues and cross-border deals. The firm represents a number of clients in the hotel and leisure sector.

Corporate work includes mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, commercial contracts, partnerships, property funds, EU and competition law, management buyouts and buyins and e-business and intellectual property.

Corporate banking services cover property and development finance, structured finance and shipping and aviation finance as well as lending to and from community interest companies and trusts. The firm’s chairman is an accredited UK expert in asset and invoice finance, which is a particular specialism of the team. Retail banking includes consumer credit, personal and small business lending and credit cards.

The firm represents a large number of private clients with complex and high-value personal assets. It often requires working across geographical borders, as well as expertise in family law, employment, agricultural and rural matters, charity law and the full range of private client services, including tax and succession planning and asset protection, executries, pensions and care for the elderly, residential property and conveyancing.

With effect from 8 November 2009, the Edinburgh office will be located at: Quartermile Two, 2 Lister Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9GL.

Other offices: Glasgow, London

Breakdown of work %
Litigation  31
Commercial property  23
Corporate  24
Private client  22

Number of UK partners 35
Number of other UK fee-earners 135

Above material supplied by Morton Fraser.

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