The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s strong institutional client base – including RBS and Lloyds Banking Group, among others – has been a core driver of its success in the transactional space. In 2011 it represented the institutional shareholders of oil services company PSN in its sale to Aberdeen-based John Wood Group for £607m. Edinburgh-based Douglas Crawford, Wendy Colquhoun, Michael Polson and David Hardie are all recommended, as is Glasgow-based Graeme Bruce.

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Within Corporate tax, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a third tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s corporate tax team acted on the tax aspects of Netherlands-based Stork Technical Services’ worldwide corporate acquisition of the RBG Group. Jim Hillan splits his time between Edinburgh and London.

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Within EU and competition, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a second tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s competition law practice draws strength from the firm’s track record in the financial services, utilities and public sectors. In 2011 it advised Clyde Union Pumps on the competition law aspects of its £750m sale to SPX Corporation. Peter Willis leads the team, which is based in London.

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Within Commercial litigation, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s contentious expertise spans finance, corporate insolvency, fraud and regulatory matters, and clients of the team include RBS, Scottish & Southern Energy and the University of Glasgow. Highlights in 2011 included representing Cosalt and its subsidiary GTC Group in multimillion-pound damages claims against two former directors. Lorna Sibbald heads the four-partner team, which includes Colin Hutton and newly promoted partner Gemma Lampert.

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Within Banking and finance, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

‘One of the top legal firms in Scotland for banking and finance’, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP ‘routinely outperforms others on both service and value’. Caryn Penley’s team advised Barclays Bank on providing £150m of facilities to Guernsey-based property fund UK Commercial Property Trust. Alan Fulton is ‘good at focusing on what is important’.

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Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s Claire Massie provides ‘outstanding technical advice and innovative ideas on transaction structuring’. The firm has one of the largest dedicated insolvency teams in Scotland, and in 2011 acted for Clydesdale Bank on the debt and equity restructuring of businesses forming part of the Festival Inns Group. Craig Darling joined HBJ Gateley.

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Within Unit trusts, OEICs and investment trusts, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP provides ‘excellent overall service’ in the investment trust arena, encompassing fund formation and regulatory matters for managers such as Franklin Templeton Global Investors and institutional clients such as Lloyds Banking Group. In 2011 it acted for Clyde Bowers Capital IM LLP in the establishment and marketing of its £420m private equity fund. Regulated funds specialist Philip Mackay is recommended.

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Within Employment, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP shows ‘commitment to satisfying its clients’, and added Eddie Stobart and Heli-One Canada to its client list in 2011. Team head Eilidh Wiseman has ‘technical expertise’, and the ‘exceptional’ David Walker is ‘extremely responsive, dedicated and professional’.

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Within Pensions, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP recently represented the University of Glasgow at the Court of Session, winning dismissal of a £1.5m exit debt claim brought by the City of Edinburgh Council on behalf of Lothian Pension Fund. David Knox leads the team and is recommended.

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Within Professional negligence, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP has seen an increasing number of claims against solicitors and surveyors arising from the downturn in the property market. Clients include RSA and Aviva. Colin Macleod leads the practice.

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Within Regional review, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Following its aborted merger talks with Bircham Dyson Bell LLP, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP announced a redundancy consultation period but also, in a step away from the trend among the largest firms to look beyond the Scottish border, its intention to open an Aberdeen office in 2012, headed by senior corporate partners Douglas Crawford and David Davidson. Donald Shaw stepped down as managing partner.

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Within Charities, tier 5

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP advises on governance and regulatory matters, and represents clients such as Save the Children Fund and Oxfam Scotland.

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Within Energy (excluding oil and gas), Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s energy team advises many of the household names in the Scottish marketplace, including National Grid, EDF Energy and Scottish Water. Offshore wind, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and energy from waste were all active areas in 2011, with highlights including representing Inch Cape Offshore Limited in its wind farm development, notable as the largest of the seven offshore wind farm projects approved for Scottish territorial waters. David McGowan is the key figure.

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Within Projects, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP provides ‘effective and efficient advice that is free from jargon’, and has ‘particular strength in EU procurement matters’. Highlights for the six-partner team included advising Amber Blue Consortium on its bid for the East Central Territory hub project. Alistair McLean is ‘particularly valued for his creative thinking’.

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Within Education, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s clients include the University of Glasgow, UCL Business and Dundee University. Recent work includes advising Heriot-Watt University on the establishment of a new campus in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Team head Laurence Ward is recommended.

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Within Health, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a second tier firm,

Amanda Methven leads Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s ‘very timely and responsive’ healthcare group, which represents clients such as Balfour Beatty Capital Projects, NHS Lothian and Grosvenor House Group. Recent work includes advising Amber Blue Consortium on its bid for the East Central Territory hub project.

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Within Local government, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Ann Faulds leads Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s team, which advises on issues such as governance, capital projects, contracts, and outsourcing arrangements. The team was recently appointed as sole legal provider to South Lanarkshire Council, and other clients include Stirling Council and Glasgow City Council.

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Within Parliamentary and public affairs, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a third tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s team is led by London-based Colin Boyd QC. The team represents clients such as National Grid, the Scottish Government Legal Directorate and the Scottish Coastal Forum. Recent work includes advising the University of Glasgow on the equality and human rights implications of introducing student tuition fees on students from elsewhere in the UK.

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Within Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is ‘entirely dedicated to delivering value-based solutions’, and acts for clients including Standard Life Investments and The Trump Organisation. In 2011 it advised Global Energy Group on the purchase of a 238-acre North Sea facility. Iain Doran and Allan Wernham are recommended.

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Within Commercial property: Elsewhere in Scotland Commercial property: leisure and hospitality

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Within Construction, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a second tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is valued for its ‘practical experience and sound judgement’ in contentious and non-contentious construction matters. It has a strong energy focus and acts for clients such as SSE and Inch Cape Offshore. Practice head Lindy Patterson is ‘outstanding in terms of her knowledge, advice, speed of service, and professionalism’. Former head of infrastructure Andrew Renton joined Bird & Bird in 2011.

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Within Environment, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a second tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s Mark Brumwell and his ‘reliable, pragmatic’ team acted for South Lanarkshire Council in defending a challenge to a waste management procurement project.

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Within Planning, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP has a long track record and a blue-chip client base that includes EDF and Lloyds Banking Group. In 2011 it advised the Trump Organisation on its £1bn golf resort in Aberdeenshire. Practice head Ann Faulds is ‘a thought leader’.

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Within Property litigation, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a second tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s Lorna Sibbald provides wide-ranging contentious advice. Colin Hutton advises energy clients, including on matters relating to distribution networks.

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Within Intellectual property, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s IP practice has particular strength in academic technology transfer and life sciences. In 2011, the team was appointed as the exclusive IP adviser to the James Hutton Institute. Clients praise the ‘excellent response times’, and ‘the key partners in particular have very good knowledge’. Laurence Ward leads the team.

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Within IT and telecoms, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s clients include National Australia Group Europe, Standard Life, and RBS. Recent work includes advising Standard Life Employee Services on outsourcing provision and support of its global data network, telephony services and infrastructure to British Telecom.

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Within Media and entertainment, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP’s clients include The Big Partnership, Fashion Rocks and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. Practice head Colin Massie is ‘invaluable’.

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Within Sport, Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a third tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP acts for The Football League in all insolvency matters. Recent work includes advising on the sale of 85% of The Rangers Football Club plc, including transferring the club’s debts to Wavetower Limited.

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Within Transport , Dundas & Wilson CS LLP is a first tier firm,

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP continues to advise Transport Scotland on delivery of the Borders Rail Project, which has recently involved acting on the transfer of the authorised undertaker’s powers to Network Rail. Ann Faulds leads the team.

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