Niall McLean > Brodies LLP > Edinburgh, > Lawyer Profile

Praised for its ‘deep knowledge of the sector’, Brodies LLP‘s education practice counts several of Scotland’s leading universities among its clients, which reflects its particular strength in the higher education sector. The team receives frequent instructions on a wide range of sector-specific work, including employment, governance and sensitive student matters. Brenda Scott and Niall McLean jointly head the team; Scott frequently handles transactional and commercial work and McLean receives regular instructions on governance and student matters. Lynne Marr specialises in employment law and acts for higher education clients and independent schools. Associate Kirstyn Burke is another key member of the team.

Brodies LLP’s local government offering runs the gamut of public sector work with the team advising on a wide range of high-profile contentious and non-contentious matters. It has significant experience in the infrastructure, energy and construction sectors and regularly advises on related contract, governance and investigations matters. Practice co-head Jackie McGuire, based in Glasgow, is recognised for her expertise advising on major infrastructure projects, while co-head Niall McLean, in Edinburgh, advises local councils on governance matters with particular strength in contentious work. Other key members of the team include Sarah-Jane McArthur, Lynne Marr and Stuart Murray.

With Philip Hunter heading up Brodies LLP‘ environment practice, work at the transactional intersection constitutes a significant area of strength; his expertise is a reflection of the team’s workload, which includes issues pertaining to the management of waste, water pollution and contaminated land, as well as environmental impact assessments, decommissioning projects and low emission zones. Niall McLean is an essential contact for contentious instructions, although is also well-placed to handle environmental due diligence exercises in the non-contentious space.

With firm chair and experienced KC Christine O’Neill at the helm, Brodies LLP‘s team in Edinburgh maintains an excellent defamation and reputation management offering, working with leading global broadcasters and content platforms on media disputes and injunctive proceedings. Senior associate Sarah McCormick further excels in this area, handling a mixture of defamation, privacy and contempt of court issues. Also praised in the contentious sphere is Niall McLean for his litigation and reputation management advice to individuals, corporations and public authorities. Martin Sloan anchors the firm’s equally strong commercial media practice, advising major Scottish publishers and global production studios on a range of contracts, IP and data matters.

Brodies LLP‘s wide-ranging practice covers the full spectrum of parliamentary and public affairs, with the team’s expertise spanning both contentious and non-contentious legislative and constitutional matters. The ‘outstanding‘ Christine O’Neill heads the practice and is regularly instructed by governmental authorities to act on high-profile public inquiries and constitutional law cases before Scottish and UK courts. Legislative drafting is a core specialism for the firm, with O’Neill and public law specialist Charles Livingstone being key contacts in this area. Other key members of the team include Jackie McGuire, who advises regulatory bodies and local authorities on statutory matters, and Niall McLean, who routinely handles public sector disputes.