The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial Edinburgh and Glasgow: , DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s corporate clients consider there to be ‘no better firm for the UK market’. The Scottish corporate group completed some 50 transactions in 2010, with an aggregate value over $10bn, including advising Capita Group on its acquisition of NB Real Estate Group. Managing partner Simon Rae heads the practice, and is supported by Paul Pignatelli and Neil Burgess. Keith Dinsmore recently left to join local legal services company Vialex.

Within Licensing, DLA Piper LLP is a third tier firm,

Delivering a ‘superb service’, DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s licensing practice forms part of the firm’s wider UK licensing team. Clients include Rezidor Hotel Group, Santander and Shanti Hospitality Group. Stephen Dick is the main contact.

Within Commercial litigation, tier 5

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s ‘focused, able and tenacious’ litigation team worked with insolvency colleagues in advising on contentious aspects of the administrations of Globespan and Powwow Water Company. Joan Devine, noted for her ‘excellent quality of advice’, recently moved to Bell & Scott (now merged with Anderson Strathern).

Within Banking and finance , tier 4

Caryn Penley heads the team at Dundas & Wilson CS LLP, which acted for City Property Glasgow (Investments) on an innovative property transfer deal funded by £120m of facilities provided by Barclays Bank; the deal was led by Stephen Phillips, who has ‘a natural ability to get to the core of the issue quickly and focus on practical tailored solutions for his client’. David Morton moved to DLA Piper Scotland LLP, while Michael Stoneham departed to Brodies LLP in early 2011.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, DLA Piper LLP is a first tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s ‘excellent, proactive and forward-thinking’ insolvency practice is ‘one of the strongest in Scotland’. Yvonne Brady heads the group, and is ‘a leader in her field in Scotland’. The team advised Ernst & Young on disposing of the Slumberdown group of companies. Fiona McKerrell is ‘an innovative thinker, and shows a very high commitment to client service’. John Gallacher, ‘a highly experienced property lawyer’, joined from Bell & Scott in 2010.

Within Employment, DLA Piper LLP is a third tier firm,

Following Russell Bradley’s departure in 2010, DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s employment practice is now led by the highly recommended Alan Strain, formerly of Biggart Baillie LLP. Clients include HBOS plc, Aberdeenshire Council, and Aggreko.

Within Health and safety, DLA Piper LLP is a third tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s health and safety practice head Aisha Anwar ‘gives clear advice and strategy’, and the team achieves ‘good results’. It received instructions to represent Eurocopter during the high-profile FAI into the death of rally driver Colin McRae.

Within Regional review,

Edinburgh and Glasgow: Emerging from three years of economic turmoil, the Scottish legal market looks significantly different to that which rode the crest of the transactional wave in 2007. With no firm untouched by the downturn in transactions, different and competing strategies and goals have emerged. As a result, Scotland’s ‘Big Four’ have moved forward: Dundas & Wilson CS LLP, Maclay Murray & Spens LLP, McGrigors LLP and Shepherd and Wedderburn are still dominant players in Scotland but also deliver a broader capability, offering English law advice in London and across the UK. Brodies LLP is among the vanguard pursuing the Scotland-only strategy, increasing critical mass to provide a full service to the local market. Dickson Minto WS continues to plough a successful furrow in the corporate finance sector; and Turcan Connell is dominant on the private client front. DLA Piper Scotland LLP continues to build its reputation, particularly in corporate restructuring following some key lateral hires, while CMS Cameron McKenna LLP’s Edinburgh offering is also expanding.

Within Energy (excluding oil and gas), tier 4

Gareth Parry joined DLA Piper Scotland LLP from McGrigors LLP in 2010 to head up the engineering and construction team. Project finance partner Andrew Fitchie advised EMEC on expanding its marine renewables offering.

Within Projects, DLA Piper LLP is a first tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s projects team provides a ‘first-class service, consistently meeting and exceeding expectations at all levels’. In 2010, the group advised Transport Scotland on all procurement and contract matters relating to the Forth Replacement Crossing. Sharon Fitzgerald heads the practice, and ‘offers first-class advice on procurement matters, with close attention to detail’.

Within Local government, DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP is advising Glasgow City Council on procuring residual waste services. Sharon Fitzgerald ‘offers first-class advice on procurement-related matters’, and practice head Hazel Moffat is also highly recommended.

Within Parliamentary and public affairs , DLA Piper LLP is a first tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s parliamentary and public sector group is headed by Hazel Moffat, who ‘picks up issues quickly and thoroughly, and cuts to the chase’. Moffat remains an appointee to the Scottish parliament’s legislative drafting panel. The practice is also advising the Scottish Funding Council regarding higher education tuition fees, while other clients include the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, the General Teaching Council for Scotland, and Transport Initiatives Edinburgh.

Within Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow, DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

Drew Wallace heads DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s real estate team, which provides ‘overall good levels of service’, and comprises 31 lawyers in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Highlights included acting for Hansteen Property Investments on the purchase of a £40m Scottish property portfolio, and for Telereal Trillium on the £50m financing of an outsourced Royal Mail portfolio.

Within Construction, DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

Gareth Parry has continued to develop DLA Piper Scotland LLP construction practice, which in 2010 advised new client Scottish Water on the £60m Meadowhead and Stevenson project. Parry is appreciated for his ‘professional, honest and likeable’ approach.

Within Elsewhere in Scotland Commercial property: leisure and hospitality

Within Planning, DLA Piper LLP is a first tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s ‘robust’ planning team delivers ‘thorough and detailed work in a responsive manner’. Highlights included its appointment to Glasgow City Council’s newly established legal panel. Practice head Sandy Telfer is ‘tenacious, meticulous and creative’.

Within Intellectual property, DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP is increasingly recognised for its IP work, particularly in regenerative medicine. Philippa Montgomerie was promoted to partner, and has ‘both an excellent scientific background and technical competency’. Practice head John McKinlay and Scott Thiel are also recommended.

Within IT and telecoms, DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP advises on complex projects for financial services clients such as National Australia Group Europe and Lloyds Banking Group. Scott Thiel’s ‘grasp of individual IT contracts and breadth of knowledge is excellent’.

Within Media and entertainment, DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s greatest strengths lie in sport-related media work and computer games; clients include Celtic FC and mobile gaming companies Tag and Dynamo. John McKinlay heads the group.

Within Sport, DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP is appreciated for 
its ‘excellent turnaround times and commercially pragmatic approach’, and has ‘a large team with 
a variety of expertise’. Scott Thiel is ‘very 
productive, succinct and practical’. Practice head 
John McKinlay is also recommended. Clients include Celtic FC, the Scottish Golf Union, and the FA Premier League.

Within Transport, DLA Piper LLP is a first tier firm,

DLA Piper Scotland LLP’s highly acclaimed team, now led by Sharon Fitzgerald, is advising Transport Scotland on multiple variations to the First ScotRail Franchise Agreement. It is advising on the Forth Replacement Crossing and the Edinburgh Tram Network.