The Legal 500

Within EU and competition EU and competition

Within Financial services, tier 6

Recent work for Dundas & Wilson LLP includes advising on the second e-money directive and the client asset rules. Patrick Brandt has ‘the ability to speak to the complex FSA laws in a straightforward, jargon-free manner’; and Philip Mackay is also recommended.

Within M&A: lower mid-market, £50m-£250m, tier 4

Dundas & Wilson LLP ‘seems to offer a more personal service’. The team weathered a difficult year for transactions, with increased deal flow across the board. Simon Sale has been appointed as practice head, and Colin Fergusson is ‘experienced and tenacious’. The team completed its first deal for chemicals company BASF on the sale of its Network Bird business to P&L Systems.

Within Private equity: transactions , tier 7

The ‘very focused’ Simon Sale heads the team at Dundas & Wilson LLP, which was strengthened by the arrival of Julian Mathews from DLA Piper UK LLP.

Within Commercial litigation Commercial litigation

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, tier 5

John Verrill at Dundas & Wilson LLP is highly regarded by peers, and secured a Court of Appeal victory in the Rubin v Eurofinance case, which is now pending in the Supreme Court.

Within Investment funds Investment funds

Within Employment, tier 6

At Dundas & Wilson LLP, ‘response times are quite incredible; and business acumen and industry knowledge second to none’. Graham Paul is ‘incredibly responsive, totally reliable and highly knowledgeable’. The firm recently defended Candy & Candy in the Court of Appeal, in relation to a bonus claim.

Within Immigration,

Also notable for their work in the area of immigration are: Clifford Chance; Davenport Lyons; Dundas & Wilson LLP; Eversheds LLP; Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP; Macfarlanes LLP; Paragon Law; Pinsent Masons LLP; RadcliffesLeBrasseur; Russell-Cooke LLP; Simons Muirhead & Burton; Steeles Law LLP; Travers Smith LLP; and Watson, Farley & Williams LLP.

Within Infrastructure, tier 6

Dundas & Wilson LLP acted for Scotia Gas Networks on the negotiation of the project funding and construction documentation for the Didcot Biomethane Project. Keith Armstrong heads the team.

Within Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) , tier 4

Dundas & Wilson LLP ‘works hard to ensure the best outcome’, and joint energy head Andrew Renton has an ‘excellent understanding of construction’. The consortium 3SE instructed the firm in relation to the Bradford and Calderdale Joint Waste Project.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI) , tier 6

Andrew Renton’s team at Dundas & Wilson LLP is ‘responsive and easy to work with’. It advised Tay Valley Lighting on a £78m street lighting project.

Within Water, tier 4

Dundas & Wilson LLP is acting for the Environment Agency on its Banbury and Cobbins Brook flood alleviation schemes.

Within Commercial property, tier 4

Dundas & Wilson LLP’s advice is ‘always relevant to business needs and provided in a concise and timely manner’. The group advised Glebe Holdings on the £146m sale of a central London office building. It assists in the running of all Scottish Widows’ funds in Scotland and four UK-wide funds. Iain Lindsay, Alistair Kennedy – who has a ‘very positive, problem-solving attitude’ – and Richard Lampert are recommended.

Within Construction, tier 4

Dundas & Wilson LLP’s team, led by Andrew Renton, recently advised a joint venture between Grosvenor House Group and Gravis Capital Partners on the development of new student accommodation in London’s Mile End. Lindy Patterson QC is recommended.

Within Environment, tier 5

Dundas & Wilson LLP’s Mark Brumwell advises on environmental aspects of infrastructure and energy projects. Clients include National Grid, SSE Renewables and Nufarm.

Within Planning, tier 6

Dundas & Wilson LLP’s planning team is ‘clear, focused, pragmatic and commercial’. It advises National Grid on transmission infrastructure projects, and is advising landowner Lafarge Aggregates on the proposed rail freight interchange on greenbelt land at Radlett. Other clients include Enodis and Land Securities. On the contentious side, it successfully settled a number of CPO disputes. Practice head Stephen McNaught ‘thinks strategically and is an effective negotiator’.

Within Property finance, tier 5

Dundas & Wilson LLP advises Bank of Scotland/Lloyds Banking Group on restructuring, and also acts for Clydesdale Bank, Coutts and Bank of Ireland. Kenneth Maxwell is ‘very commercial and understands exactly what the client needs’, Ross Caldwell is ‘very able’, and Nick Padget is ‘very thorough’.

Within Property litigation, tier 4

Dundas & Wilson LLP handles the full range of property litigation from asset management to complex one-off disputes. The team benefits from the firm’s relationships with Scottish institutions such as RBS and Scottish Widows. Highlight work in 2010 included representing Land Securities in litigation relating to two shopping centres. Martin Thomas is ‘always able to see a route through the thorniest issues’.

Within IT and telecoms, tier 5

Paul Graham has ‘a wealth of in-depth experience and knowledge’, and heads Dundas & Wilson LLP’s team, which was strengthened by the arrival of outsourcing specialists Reg Dhanjal from T-Mobile/Everything Everywhere, and Marlon Cohen from Carphone Warehouse/TalkTalk. Recent highlights include advising TDF/Media Broadcast on its bid to provide the complete transmission infrastructure for the BBC World Service. RBS is another key client.