The Legal 500

Within Licensing, tier 4

Brechin Tindal Oatts has licensing capability in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Within Commercial litigation, tier 5

At Brechin Tindal Oatts, solicitor-advocate Tony Jones is an ‘impressive, imposing litigator who has grown into the role of leading big-ticket claims’.

Within Debt recovery, bto is a second tier firm,

Brechin Tindal Oatts’ enviable client base includes Barclays, Cigna UK and Lloyds Banking Group. The firm is the sole Scottish provider to American Express for personal and corporate credit card recoveries. Grant Hunter heads the department.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery Insolvency and corporate recovery

Within Employment, bto is a third tier firm,

Brechin Tindal Oatts provides ‘excellent service from general advice to tribunal representation’. Caroline Carr is ‘second to none’, and David Hoey is also recommended.

Within Health and safety, bto is a first tier firm,

Brechin Tindal Oatts represents clients in high-profile fatal accident inquiries (FAIs) and health and safety investigations, and also provides non-contentious advice. Practice head and criminal solicitor-advocate Clare Bone has an ‘ability to understand the intricacies of a case’. Solicitor-advocate Vikki Watt is also recommended.

Within Medical negligence: defender, bto is a first tier firm,

Brechin Tindal Oatts’ medical and dental negligence department head Douglas Jessiman has ‘impressive tactical awareness in cases of the utmost seriousness’, and Laura Donald has the ‘ability to grasp the issues in complex cases’. The firm receives instructions from the Medical Protection Society and the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, among others.

Within Personal injury: defender, bto is a first tier firm,

Solicitor-advocate Catherine Currie heads Brechin Tindal Oatts’ personal injury team, which is ‘very strong technically’. Jill Setterington is ‘knowledgeable 
and proactive’, and Stephen Bryceland is also recommended.

Within Professional negligence, bto is a first tier firm,

Brechin Tindal Oatts’ professional negligence team is highly regarded. Practice head Derek Allan is ‘one of the leading lights in professional negligence work in Scotland’, and Alan Eadie is also recommended. Both are qualified mediators.

Within Charities Charities

Within Personal tax, trusts and executries Personal tax, trusts and executries

Within Energy (excluding oil and gas), tier 4

Brechin Tindal Oatts’ energy practice acts ‘professionally, swiftly and correctly at all times, and shows great knowledge and expertise’. It typically handles developer and funding mandates in the wind, hydro and biomass generation sectors for new projects with a build cost of up to £15m. Ralph Riddiough displays ‘exceptional knowledge and efficiency’ and co-heads the practice with the ‘personable and very capable’ James Dickson.

Within Education Education

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

Headed by the ‘solid and flexible’ James Dickson, Brechin Tindal Oatts’ team adopts a client-friendly approach, and its ‘service and response times are excellent’. The group’s retail expertise was utilised in 2010 when it advised Superdry on the acquisition of various retail units, including a new flagship store in Glasgow. Nicolas McBride ‘always adopts a practical approach to solving problems’.

Within Construction Construction

Within Elsewhere in Scotland Commercial property: leisure and hospitality

Within Property litigation Property litigation

Within Social housing, bto is a first tier firm,

Highlights for Brechin Tindal Oatts’ ‘knowledgeable, meticulous and responsive’ social housing group included advising Clyde Valley Housing Association on issues arising from EU procurement regulations. Karen Brodie delivers a ‘high level of professional service’.

Within Intellectual property Intellectual property

Within IT and telecoms IT and telecoms

Within Media and entertainment Media and entertainment