The Legal 500

Scotland

Transport

Transport - ranked: tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard entered the Scottish legal market in June 2017 with the merger of HBJ Gateley, bringing with it a transportation practice which is praised for its ‘deep shipping sector expertise’. The team, which is led by the ‘responsive and practical’ Ed Watt, who attracts praise for his ‘impressive industry knowledge’, has a strong profile in international transactional shipping work, ship finance and registration and contentious matters. Highlights for Watt’s team included advising Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL) and the Scottish government as its shareholder on matters pertaining to the construction of two dual-fuel ferries. Briggs Marine is another client. Alison Sim left for an in-house position, while Sarah Baillie joined from Anderson Strathern.

Leading individuals

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Scotland: Corporate and commercial

Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow

Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow - ranked: tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard’s practice was strengthened in 2016, following the key partner hires of Anna Brown and Helena Brown from Pinsent Masons LLP and Burness Paull LLP, respectively. The former is particularly experienced in listed company work, including equity capital markets transactions (AIM and main market), while the latter has commercial contracts expertise, such as procurement and outsourcing. Led by David Kirchin, the corporate team manages high-value domestic and cross-border M&A and private equity (including venture capital) transactions, joint ventures, fund formation and corporate structuring. The practice has great breadth, acting for clients from a wide variety of sectors, such as oil and gas, real estate, metals, technology and manufacturing. Andrew Ley, who leads the firm’s food and drink and capital markets teams, specialises in acting for entrepreneurial owners, management teams and investors in high-growth companies. Murray Jack heads the firm’s life sciences sector group, and is also active in corporate deals involving a wide range of other industries. In the utilities arena, Andrew Walker was the lead adviser to Castle Water in its acquisition of Thames Water’s non-domestic water business. David Horne, who is qualified in England and Scotland, acted for Ediston Homes in its acquisition of Craighead Properties, and also handled Europa Capital’s £36m acquisition of Laser VV Property.

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Scotland: Dispute resolution

Commercial litigation

Commercial litigation - ranked: tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard, which established its presence in Scotland through its merger with HBJ Gateley, has a multifaceted practice covering mainstream commercial disputes, banking litigation and contentious real estate and insolvency work. Simon Catto leads the team, which undertakes cases ranging from small disputes to high-value actions at the Sherriff Court and Court of Session. Catto is currently acting for Ensco 374 in a breach of warranty claim arising from its acquisition of Screw Conveyor Limited. In another matter, Joan Devine, who joined the firm from Anderson Strathern, handled two professional negligence claims for a bank made against surveyors for allegedly negligent overvaluations. Another notable individual is Gordon Steele, who represents pursuers and defenders in a range of matters, including contractual disputes involving issues of unjust enrichment and misrepresentation. Recently promoted partner Lynsey Walker is also recommended. Stuart Clubb departed for Shoosmiths. Other clients include BT, Murray International Holdings and First Title Insurance.

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Debt recovery

Debt recovery - ranked: tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard (Glasgow)

Addleshaw Goddard, which entered the Scottish market following its merger with HBJ Gateley, has a core debt recovery team that is complemented by additional expertise in disciplines such as banking and finance, property, insolvency and litigation, enabling the firm to provide a comprehensive range of solutions to clients. The team’s experience spans various types of consumer and commercial agreements, including hire purchase, consumer credit and trade debts. In the social housing space, the group assists Scottish registered social landlords with recovering rent and other types of arrears from tenants. Yvonne Gallacher, who has more than 20 years of debt recovery experience, joined from Anderson Strathern. Debt recovery head Alan Sinclair is experienced in high-value and defended debt recovery matters; a recent highlight involved assisting a local authority with recovering tax from an individual with a large property portfolio that was partially subject to council tax and partially subject to non-domestic rates. Solicitor advocate Lynsey Walker, who made partner in 2016, acts for clients such as banks, administrators and insolvency practitioners. Associates Ilona McGowan and Laura McCabe are also recommended.

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Scotland: Finance

Banking and finance

Banking and finance - ranked: tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard ‘always delivers’ for its clients, which include banks, borrowers and non-bank funders. The team undertakes a broad spectrum of financing deals connected with sectors such as oil and gas, shipping, real estate and renewable energy. In addition to advising on general corporate lending, other areas of expertise include acquisition finance, project finance and asset-based lending. Alan Shanks leads the practice, which includes Euan Cluness and senior solicitor Euan Anderson, both of whom assisted Bank of Scotland with financing Sterling Furniture Group’s acquisition of Forrest Furnishings. Cluness is ‘efficient, knowledgeable and extremely capable’. Alex Innes, who is dual-qualified to practise Scottish and English law, worked with Anderson to advise Route Finance on providing alternative funding to a borrower for the purpose of developing student accommodation. Tom Speirs, Catriona Smith and associate Peter Smartt are other notable practitioners. John Blackwood joined Bermuda-based firm Wakefield Quin.

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Insolvency and corporate recovery

Insolvency and corporate recovery - ranked: tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard has a strong track record in complex and large-scale, high-profile restructuring and insolvency matters, where it acts for clients such as insolvency practitioners, asset-based lenders and corporates, among others. Its banking client roster is particularly impressive, with the firm acting for institutions such as Lloyds Banking Group, RBS, Clydesdale Bank and Santander. Jamie McIntosh, Tim Cooper and senior associate Emma Widdowson (a recent hire from DLA Piper Scotland LLP) acted for Bank of Ireland and CBRE Limited (the latter as fixed charge receivers) in the £90m restructuring and insolvency of M&F Finance Property Unit Trust. Tim Cooper, who ‘takes great pride in his work’, was the lead adviser to KPMG in the high-profile administration of Hawick Knitwear. Aberdeen-based Addi Shamash provides ‘an excellent balance of commerciality and legal advice’; she worked with Lynsey Walker and senior associate Jamie Nellany to handle the administration and sale of Impact Trading Limited for Lloyds Commercial Finance and FRP Advisory LLP. The matter also involved challenging several transactions in the run-up to the insolvency. Joan Devine recently joined from Anderson Strathern.

Leading individuals

Next generation lawyers

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Scotland: Human resources

Employment

Employment - ranked: tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard, which merged with HBJ Gateley in June 2017, fields a team in Scotland that ‘deals with all enquires promptly, professionally and with a personal touch’. The team frequently advises on recruitment and exit issues, TUPE transfers, reorganisation and redundancy programmes while also dealing with employment tribunal matters, equal pay litigation and workplace mediation. As a highlight, the team acted for 5,000 claimants in a series of equal pay test cases against Glasgow City Council. In another contentious mandate, the team represented Menzies Aviation before the employment tribunal in a service provision change matter. ‘Pragmatic and proactive’ team head Kim Pattullo, who is well versed in advising on restructuring and reorganisations as well as M&A, advised First Scottish on employment law aspects arising from the sale of The Legal Post and First Post to DX Network Services. David Hughes re-joined the firm from Clyde & Co LLP.

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Scotland: Insurance

Professional negligence

Professional negligence - ranked: tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh, Glasgow)

Addleshaw Goddard, which merged with HBJ Gateley in June 2017, has a team that regularly acts for financial institutions, businesses and individuals as pursuers in professional negligence claims against solicitors, surveyors and contractors, arising from construction, property and commercial disputes. Gordon Steele is a key member of the team headed by Simon Catto. Litigator Joan Devine joined from Anderson Strathern. The team’s client roster includes the Royal Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank and Dunfermline Building Society.

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Scotland: Private client

Personal tax, trusts and executries

Personal tax, trusts and executries - ranked: tier 5

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard’s team is going through a transition phase after former practice head Sarah McKinlay left the firm. Alastair Shepherd, Louise Williams and Ross MacKay also left the team to work in-house. Douglas Hunter, who is experienced in dealing with tax, trust and succession matters, remains with the firm, while Gregor Mitchell joined from Stronachs LLP.

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Scotland: Projects, energy and natural resources

Energy (excluding oil and gas)

Energy (excluding oil and gas) - ranked: tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen)

Addleshaw Goddard, which recently merged with HBJ Gateley, draws on the latter’s historical strengths across a wide range of disciplines, including areas such as construction, restructuring and insolvency, finance, corporate and real estate, to advise on renewable and alternative energy projects in Scotland and the wider UK. In 2016, practice head Alan Shanks, and managing associates Aileen Burke and Calum Fisher, acted for Scottish wind turbine developer Lochend Wind Energy on the sale of a four turbine wind farm in Caithness, which involved assisting the client with designing and establishing grid-sharing agreements with Meygen, and also handling crofting issues. Other highlights for the cross-practice team included advising Aberdeen Community Energy on all aspects of the development of Aberdeen’s first community-led renewable energy project, and acting for joint venture company Edintore Wind Farm Limited on the financing, procurement and construction of a six-turbine wind farm in Scotland. Paul Minto, who is knowledgeable about energy and climate change law, advises on planning and environmental aspects of renewable energy projects, and electricity contracts. Catriona Smith provides banking advice to banks and borrowers.

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Scotland: Real estate

Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow

Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow - ranked: tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard established a presence in Scotland through its merger with HBJ Gateley, incorporating a practice with a dedicated English real estate sub-group led by Kirsty Nicholson and a track record in cross-border matters, including large-scale portfolio transactions and high-value property investments. In 2016, Nicholson acted alongside Alastair Cowan, Kirsty Woods and Gary Munro for Harwood Anthony Limited on the £18.5m sale of freehold and leasehold interests in a UK-wide portfolio of ten retail and industrial properties. The commercial property practice also handles residential development and student accommodation schemes, as well as private rented sector matters; Cowan recently acted for Maven Capital Partners on the acquisition and development of three student accommodation sites (consisting of 575 studios in total). Corporate occupier work, asset management and real estate finance are other pillars of the practice. The team generates a significant amount of commercial property work from clients in the telecommunications and leisure sectors, including EE, Malmaison Hotels, City Pub Group, BT and Virgin Media. Miles Ede leads the team, which includes Alison Newton, Neil Addis and Mike Fitzgerald, as well as newly promoted senior solicitors David McClean and Allison Leiper, and Katherine Golding, who made associate.

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Construction

Construction - ranked: tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Following its merger with HBJ Gateley, Addleshaw Goddard now has a construction team in Scotland led by dual-qualified partner Alison Horner, who is ‘an excellent communicator’ who focuses on non-contentious construction and advises clients on commercial developments and renewable energy matters. In 2016, Horner, assisted a care home developer and operator with the construction aspects of five new care home developments in Scotland. Construction disputes specialist Anne Struckmeier handles contentious PFI/NPD matters, as well as cases related to waste and energy. Senior associate Andrew Fairlie, who joined from Turcan Connell in 2016, handles a wide range of projects for developers, contractors and funders, among other clients.

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Planning

Planning - ranked: tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard merged with HBJ Gateley in 2017, taking on a planning team led by Sarah Baillie, who joined from Anderson Strathern in 2016. She acts for Aldi in planning matters associated with its store acquisition and development programme in Scotland, and recently represented the client in a judicial review brought by Asda. Other key figures include Paul Minto, who specialises in planning and environmental issues in renewable energy projects and acts for onshore and offshore wind developers, banks, public sector bodies and investors. Former head Craig Adamson left the firm.

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Property litigation

Property litigation - ranked: tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard ‘operates an excellent case management system, which means that the information is always available when interfacing with the firm’. The team in Scotland, which comprises practitioners from the legacy HBJ Gateley practice led by Simon Catto, and which covers a wide range of matters, including rent review disputes, professional negligence, breaches of contract, and dilapidations claims. Joan Devine, who joined the group from Anderson Strathern in 2016, and senior solicitor Ilona McGowan are representing Link Housing PSL in 27 combined actions for recovery of possession of properties and rent arrears under short Scottish secure tenancies. Also recommended are Lynsey Walker, who made partner, Edward Gratwick, who became a solicitor advocate in 2016 and was promoted to senior associate, Alan Sinclair and Anne Struckmeier. Stuart Clubb joined Shoosmiths.

Next generation lawyers

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Social housing

Social housing - ranked: tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard merged with HBJ Gateley in Scotland, taking on the legacy firm’s housing team, which acts for some of Scotland’s largest RSLs, as well as the Scottish government, developers, funders and consultants. Practice head Heather Pearson and Andrew Fairlie acted for Kingdom Housing Association on its acquisition of a development site from Robertson Homes Partnership. In another highlight, Susan McDonald and Elaine Imlach assisted Link Housing Association with a review of its factoring service provided to more than 1100 homeowners. Joan Devine, Alan Sinclair and Ilona McGowan are representing Link PSL in numerous actions for recovery of possession of properties. Pearson’s team also advises RSLs on investment in and development of renewable energy projects, such as onshore wind farms. Devine and Sarah Baillie joined from Anderson Strathern, and Alison Horner joined from MacRoberts LLP, while Stuart Clubb departed for Shoosmiths, and Frazer Wardhaugh joined BAM Construction.

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Scotland: TMT (technology, media and telecoms)

Sport

Sport - ranked: tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard (Edinburgh)

Addleshaw Goddard merged with HBJ Gateley on 1 June 2017, giving the former firm a footprint in Scotland and a sports team with a strong profile acting for individuals and clubs in contentious football matters. Non-contentious work – including regulatory compliance, domestic and overseas transfers and contract terminations – has become a greater focal point for the practice, which is headed by litigator Simon Catto and includes Helena Brown.

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