John McHugh > Harper Macleod LLP > Edinburgh, United Kingdom > Lawyer Profile

Harper Macleod LLP
CITYPOINT, 65 HAYMARKET TERRACE
EDINBURGH
EH12 5HD
United Kingdom

Position

Partner

John specialises in commercial disputes. His main focus is in the area of contractual disputes and his practice includes acting in contentious construction related matters. He also has a wealth of experience of commercial property disputes acting for both landlords and tenants.

John acts in a wide range of contentious matters including fraud; professional negligence; PFI/PPP disputes; and construction claims. His commercial practice involves advising clients on disputes involving taxation and pensions. He has acted in disputes involving company directors and their duties. He also has considerable experience of sports law disputes and has acted in a number of football related matters.

He conducts cases and appears in courts and tribunals of all levels, as well as adjudications and mediations. He has considerable experience of arbitration.

John is a member of the Property Litigation Association and has passed the entrance examination of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is also a part-time Chairperson of the statutory First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber). He is a Member of the Law Society of Scotland’s Complaints sub-committee. For 15 years, he has been an active member of the International Fraud Group, which is an international group of law firms specialising in fraud and asset recovery.

John is a solicitor advocate, which permits him to represent clients in the civil courts at all levels.

Memberships

John is a member of the Property Litigation Association and has passed the entrance examination of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.  He is also a part-time Chairperson of the statutory First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber). He is a Member of the Law Society of Scotland’s Complaints sub-committee. For 15 years, he has been an active member of the International Fraud Group, which is an international group of law firms specialising in fraud and asset recovery.

Education

LLB (Hons) Dip LP NP, Solicitor Advocate

Lawyer Rankings

Scotland > Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation

Harper Macleod LLP ‘puts forward an incredibly strong and accessible offering, capable of going toe to toe on a client’s behalf in any adversarial situation’. Key areas of expertise include contractual disputes and shareholder litigation, in addition to issues arising from post-M&A transactions. Praised as ‘one of Scotland’s leading commercial litigators’, Sandy Hastie heads the practice from the firm’s office in Edinburgh, while ‘standout partnerDavid Kerr spearheads the team in Glasgow. Other key contacts in the group include John McHugh and Laura McCorquodale, who both operate from the Edinburgh office, as well as the Glasgow-based E-Ming Fong.

Scotland > Insurance > Professional negligence

Embedded in the firm’s overall dispute resolution offering, the professional negligence practice at Harper Macleod LLP has a strong track record pursuing claims against financial services, accountancy and legal professionals. The team is also regularly instructed to act against insurers. The ‘outstanding team’ is jointly led by Sandy Hastie and David Kerr, and includes John McHugh and Laura McCorquodale; McHugh and McCorquodale are frequently instructed to assist with high-value, complex matters across the construction sector. Also in the core team are litigators Andrew MacKenzie and E-Ming Fong as well as associate Adam de Ste Croix.

Scotland > Real estate > Property litigation

Acting for a mixture of private sector clients, public authorities and private individuals, Harper Macleod LLP is often called upon to handle commercial tenant disputes, including dilapidations and leases, as well as issues pertaining to title boundaries and conditions in rural and agricultural property-related matters. The team is led by the Glasgow-based Andrew Upton and sits within the firm’s wider litigation practice led by Sandy Hastie from Edinburgh. John McHugh is a popular choice for owners of shopping centre.