The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > Scotland > Employment

‘Burness Paull is completely in touch with my sector and goes out its way to understand our challenges, not in a legal sense but in a more personal, ‘real’ sense and then bring the legal aspects in. They keep completely up-to-date with trends and themes and always seem to me to be ahead of the curve. They really offer a personal service and very pragmatic, easy-to-understand legal advice. Unlike other legal firms who simply apply the law without always considering the ‘human impact’.‘

‘Strategic and pragmatic. Personable and a pleasure to work with.‘

‘The firm has a polished and professional brand, with an excellent reputation in the local market. They put a lot of effort into continual engagement with their clients in a proactive manner, tackling topical issues and concerns.‘

‘They take the time to really listen to the situation, take all the people factors into account, they are not risk averse and they are very compassionate in sensitive situations. They also provide alternatives to reach your end state rather than just one option. I am always impressed with how forward-thinking they are.’

‘I have always been impressed by the employment team. They take the time to get to know the business and its people, enabling them to tailor advice to the business, providing client care that is second to none. Courses and events are thought through and tailored with the needs of the clients, making them relevant and useful. I have found that personal touch to be what differentiates them from other firms.‘

‘Strength/ differentiator of the firm is the commercial and pragmatic consideration, rather than pure legal opinion.‘

‘Our team at Burness has taken the time to fully understand how our business works and our approach to risk where our employee relations is concerned. They are a true business partner in every sense.‘

‘I work mostly with Tricia Walker. In my experience she is energetic and driven to support her clients.‘

‘Morag Hutchison is a stand-out partner in the employment team. Morag is both extremely knowledgeable and sensitive to individual situations. She genuinely looks for the right outcomes. Morag has excellent relationship skills. Her approach is a lot more than just delivering advice. As a result, she has been able to influence a number of difficult situations and build credible relationships with a variety of stakeholders. I would not hesitate to recommend Morag to any business.‘

‘Jen Skeoch always stands out to me. Jen understands that we like to think out of the box and she will always come up with solutions that fit with that approach. She understands that our team is very knowledgeable and as such does not patronise us when discussing cases etc. Jen will always fight our corner as if she works for our company and is just as affected as us if things don’t go our way – she is totally invested in us.’

‘I work with the employment law team and they always respond quickly to queries. Their advice is pragmatic, solidly based in case law and employment law and they give me options to consider.‘

‘Excellent customer service which is consistent, reliable and practical to our organisation.‘

‘They are able to move quickly to deal with new instances of unauthorised occupation. They also demonstrate an understanding of the relevant legislation and court guidance.‘

‘Good team work.‘

‘Andrew Brown is well regarded and offers an excellent service. He looks at options, risks and potential outcomes and his advice is always helpful.‘

‘I have worked with Andrew Brown and he has gone beyond the call of ask. He follows up on enquiries almost immediately and I found him engaging and insightful.’

‘As a very small part of their customer base we are nonetheless given excellent advice and given a personal service experience which makes us feel valued. They know who we are, they understand our environment, they tailor the advice to suit, and importantly they remember what they have told us and we don’t have to explain more than once.‘

‘The team comprises a group of highly competent and experienced employment lawyers who work well together and are experienced in dealing with high-value clients. It has had particular exposure to equal pay claims and has developed in this area a level of expertise (especially relevant to employers defending claims).‘

‘Stephen Miller provides clear timely advice that is proven to be trustworthy and improves confidence in our actions.‘

‘Frances Ross provides detailed advice that not only meets our needs but provides a learning experience and depth to allow various approaches to be considered.’

‘I have worked closely with two employment partners: Stephen Miller and Frances Ross. They are both extremely competent and professional lawyers, who combine a high level of technical expertise with extensive practical litigation skills and common sense. Both have developed strong links with the clients they serve and are held, justifiably, in high regard.‘

‘Being a global firm, it enables a wealth of knowledge and understanding of issues that arise for a global organisation like ours.‘

‘Strong team.‘

‘Always keeping up to speed with current issues and reacting swiftly with advice and providing information to assist in decision making.‘

‘Great approach to key topics such as Inclusion and Diversity and current topics such as #MeToo. Forward thinking and happy to challenge the status quo.‘

‘Highly experienced and specialist in their own specific practices. Always willing to help connect with other subject matter experts when required.‘

‘Alison Weatherhead has provided advice to me over a number of years. Alison understands the needs of the business and will always work with you to provide a balanced resolution. Her no-nonsense approach means she is a pleasure to work with.‘

‘Alison Weatherhead is particularly noteworthy as an excellent commercially minded lawyer – she is someone you want to have on your side.‘

‘Very competent team of legal experts in the field of employment law, indeed the wider human resources remit. With positive and “can do” personalities, they wisely steer their clients to best solutions. They are consummate professionals who are very highly regarded and they also participate in community payback through many fundraising activities.‘

‘A well integrated team who clearly communicates very effectively to the benefit of clients. Accessibility is far superior to other teams I have worked with and they definitely go the extra mile for their clients. A fantastic team that delivers great results.‘

‘Committed individuals capable of understanding client needs and working tirelessly to deliver results.‘

‘Simon Allison has a proficient, professional and considerate manner and is someone who can easily adapt to the audience he is dealing with and put them at ease. His expert knowledge is evident and this commands respect.‘

‘The team is always friendly and responsive and makes you feel whatever issue you bring to them is important. The response is always considered and with practical solutions not a purely legal perspective. They understand the challenges of running a business and this is evident in their responses.‘

‘We really value Kirk Tudhope’s experience and knowledge. He always brings that extra something which adds to the debate and solution. We know we are in safe hands. Kirk is always mindful of the challenges we face as a business and our timescales.‘

‘The team is extremely responsive and very much partner-led. It provides far more accessibility to partners than others of its competitors. It is sensible about pricing and there are no surprises on costing. They have a good all-round knowledge in all areas of law relevant to employment law, including data protection, and are excellent at cross-jurisdictional issues. They are very collaborative with other law firms and are solution-led and non-confrontational.‘

‘Ben Doherty is an excellent leader of the team. He provides clear, concise advice and is extremely responsive. He adopts a no-nonsense, non-confrontational approach to his work, seeking solutions wherever he can.‘

‘Balfour & Manson provides an individual service which looks into their clients best interests from the very first meeting and in our case, up until the present day. They keep you informed of the pitfalls and the benefits of your position, giving their honest opinion of a way forward. They take their time to understand your personal case and are not afraid to look at it from different positions, rather than taking a generic position as I have found when using other legal firms. Balfour & Manson does more than represent you, they look after you, keeping you informed every step of the way!‘

‘Robert Holland and his team worked tirelessly to be prepared in our tribunals.‘

‘Robert Holland has been totally honest with us since the very beginning, keeping us more than informed every step of the way as our case has moved on.‘

‘Robert Holland really looks after us, is very approachable and sincere, very easy to get on with.‘

‘They understand my business and appetite for risk. Pragmatic solutions.‘

‘The team is very good at recognising particular areas of expertise and seeks cross-team collaboration where it is in the client’s bests interests to do so, and to great effect. The team is led by a very experienced partner, Kate Hodgkiss, who really knows what she is talking about and supports others.‘

‘I think Kate Hodgkiss is a stand-out individual, who has years of litigation under her belt. When there is a difficult case, she is excellent at explaining risks and realities to clients whilst getting right in the trenches with counsel when the battle commences. She is considerate and informative when she instructs counsel, gets counsel involved sufficiently early on and engaged in key strategic decision making so that what follows is a genuine team effort. She is excellent and instills confidence in others. This is really the experience I have had with the firm as a whole.‘

‘Commercial, pragmatic and solution-focused. Giving the balanced view of risk vs business requirements.’

‘Kim Pattullo has helped an support my company in all types of employment issues. This has ranged from advice on new employment legislation and good practice measures to support at tribunals and emergency employment issue support.’

‘Excellently responsive service. Advice is provided quickly, accurately and in easily digestible language. Approachable and friendly lawyers with a sound knowledge base.’

‘Shoosmiths’ key strengths are that their team understand our business model and their advice is legally and commercially sound. In my experience they highlight the pros and cons of each approach so that HR/the business are aware before progressing with matters. In addition during most of the experience i have had with them i felt they did not sit on the fence and gave very direct advice and guidance.’

‘Kim Pattullo is a sound, calm and very knowledgeable lawyer, who not only understands employment law and business, but who is also able to navigate through the complexities of personalities in the workplace to help get to the right employment solution. She is also pleasant and supportive to work with.’

‘Kenny Scott provides a calm, pragmatic and sensible approach to employment matters covering all bases. Knowledgeable and supportive and his attention to detail and ability to respond quickly is excellent.’

‘Eilidh Wood provides an excellent service – approachable, friendly but highly professional. Her understanding of the law is evident, and she is able to apply to cases accurately.’

‘I have had a lot of dealings with Kenny Scott over the past few years – he has been exceptional with his speed, depth of knowledge and a subject matter expert on things like restructures, absence management and dismissals/terminations.’

‘Stronachs is professional, knowledgeable and always on hand to help.‘

‘Anya Duncan really understands our business and has gone out of her way to get to know the people and how we work. She is always on hand to help even out of business hours for anything urgent. She is extremely knowledgeable on all aspects of employment law, she has assisted me with TUPE, disciplinary, and grievance. She wrote our contracts of employment and assists on day-to-day contractual issues. Anya is also lovely to work with on a personal level and I appreciate having someone to talk around the problems with.‘

‘Friendly team, who responds quickly to live issues. Excellent proactive information on current/ topical issues.‘

‘Jonathan Rennie provides first-rate advice for quick resolution to employment issues. Makes himself available at short notice and reacts quickly to developing situations for effective HR management. Pragmatic approach to business realities. Friendly and approachable manner.‘