Projects in Scotland
Burness Paull LLP
Burness Paull LLP's construction and projects team has notable structures expertise through the experience of Stephen Phillips and Gillian Harkness, including handling drafting and project structures, and funding structures. The projects practice is led by Chris MacKay and has recently acted on a number of high-profile mandates including several disputes; the group is also regularly appointed to advise on issues arising from the Scottish hub initiative. Senior associate Chris Horsley is also a key name to note.
Practice head(s):
Chris Mackay
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The firm’s broad construction expertise, its understanding of the practicalities and risk profile of the construction sector, and its NEC contract experience distinguishs it from its competitors.‘
‘This is a high-class firm with strength in depth across a range of sectors. The range of knowledge the firm can bring to assist clients is exceptional!‘
‘Chris Mackay’s understanding of practical contract issues is excellent. He is also good at keeping teams on good terms in contentious disputes, and keeping everyone going until the point of resolution.‘
‘Chris Mackay and Andrew Little are standout individuals and are able to bring a depth of experience and pragmatism to assist clients.‘
‘Burness Paull is able to sit by clients as they navigate complex deals and give sound pragmatic advice on risk and market position.‘
Key clients
NHS Lothian
Falkirk Council
Perth & Kinross Council
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
hub West Scotland Limited
Hub Community Foundation
3 No
Scottish Futures Trust Limited
Scot Roads Partnership Project Limited
Amey Belfast Schools Partnership PFI Limited
University of St Andrews
Scrabster Harbour Trust
Galliford Try Construction (UK) Limited
John Graham Construction Limited
Ancala Water Services
Hampden Park Limited
Highland Spring
Work highlights
- Advising hub West Scotland on the financing, design, construction and provision of services at the new Greenock and Clydebank Health & Care Centres, and additional ward buildings at Stobhill Hospital.
- Acting for NHS Lothian as the procuring authority on the Royal Edinburgh Hospital (Phase 2) project via the hub initiative.
- Instructed by the Scottish Futures Trust to assist with the development of new standard form templates.
- Acted for Hub Community Foundation on its investment in a series of public sector infrastructure projects in each of the five Hub regions of Scotland.
- Advised Hampden Park on the development of Hampden Park Stadium, which will accommodate the Euro 2020 football tournament.
CMS
CMS advises its high-profile client roster, which includes the Scottish government and Scottish Water, on all project delivery models with notable expertise in hub projects. Glasgow-based practice head Ailsa Ritchie has substantial experience in social infrastructure projects including urban rejuvenation, education and healthcare schemes, while Amanda Methven is a specialist in the delivery of hub projects. The team also has construction expertise thanks to Christine Worthington, particularly in the energy and infrastructure space.
Practice head(s):
Ailsa Ritchie
Other key lawyers:
Amanda Methven; Michael McAuley; Christine Worthington
Key clients
Scottish Water
Hub East Central Scotland Limited
Nord LB
Glasgow City Council
Northern Ireland Water
Dexia
Infrastructure Managers Limited/3i Infrastructure Fund
Argyll & Bute Council
InfraRed
The Moray Council
Galliford Try Investments
Aberdeenshire Council
Aberdeen City Council
The Highland Council
Scottish Borders Council
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Renfrewshire Council
Laing O’Rourke
South Lanarkshire Council
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Work highlights
- Advising Glasgow City Council on its £250m residential-led regeneration programme.
- Advised Scottish Water on its acquisition of the Project Grampian PFI from Kelda Group, the owners of Yorkshire Water.
- Advising Dumfries & Galloway Council on the negotiated termination of a waste PFI contract.
- Instructed by NordLB as senior funder to advise on the design, build, financing and maintenance of a new high school in South Queensferry.
- Acting for Renfrewshire Council on its Glasgow Airport Investment Area and Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside projects.
MacRoberts LLP
The projects team at MacRoberts LLP advises a varied client base, which includes procuring local and governmental bodies, developers, equity investors, banks, construction contractors and facilities managers, on a wide range of projects. With substantial expertise in construction and procurement law, the group also handles significant disputes arising from projects. Practice head Rod Munro has notable experience across a range of industry sectors including the hospitality, transport, social infrastructure and energy industries.
Practice head(s):
Rod Munro
Other key lawyers:
Duncan Osler; Jennifer McKay;
Testimonials
‘This is a very experienced, professional and knowledgeable team.‘
Key clients
Aberdeen Standard Life
Amey
Angus Council
Babcock Wilcox Volund
Bank of Ireland (UK)
Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi
Charity Bank
ECG Facilities Services
Edinburgh Council
Glasgow City Council
InfraRed
Infrastructure Managers Limited
Laing
M&G Investments
Morgan Sindall Investments Limited
NHS Lothian
NHS Orkney
NHS Tayside
NHS Ayrshire & Arran
NHS Highland
Perth & Kinross Council
Pentland Ferries
Scottish Prisons Service
Scottish Government
Semperian
Shepherd Engineering
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
SUEZ Recycling Limited
Transport Scotland
Western Ferries (Clyde)
Wm Hamilton & SonsLimited
Wood Group
Work highlights
- Acted for NHS Lothian on the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PFI Project and the Royal Edinburgh NPD Project.
- Advising Suez Recycling and Recovery UK on its bid for the Ness energy-from-waste project in Aberdeen.
- Instructed by Edinburgh Schools Partnership to handle the defects issues arising from the high-profile collapse of the gable wall at Oxgangs Primary School.
- Acting for ECG Facilities Management on a joint venture partnership model to supply facilities management services to 35 operational projects across five separate local investment finance trust (LIFT) schemes in England.
- Advising Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation on its role as the incoming account bank on two operational PFI projects.
Pinsent Masons LLP
Pinsent Masons LLP's client roster in the projects space includes 3i, Balfour Beatty and Equitix alongside other funders, sponsors and public sector bodies. The team handles a vast variety of projects including hub schemes, new product development, PPP and PFI projects; student accommodation work, oil and gas matters and renewable energy issues. Recent work highlights also include significant matters in the healthcare and transport infrastructure space. The team is led by Edinburgh-based Michael Watson and includes Stuart Barr in the Glasgow office.
Practice head(s):
Michael Watson
Other key lawyers:
Brodies LLP
Brodies LLP has expertise in public law, finance, and project procurement work in its projects group and advises on the full life cycle of projects, from early stage planning to investor exits. The team is jointly led from Edinburgh by head of infrastructure Drysdale Graham and head of energy and infrastructure finance Michael Stoneham.
Practice head(s):
Drysdale Graham; Michael Stoneham
Other key lawyers:
Roger Cotton; Sarah-Jane McArthur
Testimonials
‘The team at Brodies is always available at short notice and helpful, provides a client-focused service and is prompt in its responses.‘
‘Sarah-Jane McArthur and Alisdair Matheson are exceptional.‘
Key clients
Hub East Central Limited
Clyde Gateway Developments Limited
Indaver NV
Cardiff Council
Aberdeen City Council
Abellio
Banks Renewables Limited
Aberdeen Standard
Orbital Marine Power
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Work highlights
- The team handled Abellio’s involvement in the re-let of the eight year East Midlands Rail franchise by the Department for Transport.
- Acted for the vendor shareholders of the Saur Group on a vendor due diligence exercise on its Scottish waste water assets as part of its sale to EQT Infrastructure.
- Acting for the funders of a consortium involving Aberdeen European Infrastructure Partners as a shortlisted bidder on bundle 2 of an Irish social housing PPP programme.
- Advising Aberdeen City Council on the development of a new £400m exhibition and conference arena for the City of Aberdeen.
Dentons
In the primary projects market, Dentons is noted for its involvement in the hub programme, and has also been active in the secondary market, a key area of strength for Edinburgh-based practice head Euan Wilson. The group has recently advised on numerous investments, divestitures, refinancings and restructurings relating to PFI, PPP, New Product Development (NPD), hub, Building Schools for the Future (BSF) and energy sector projects. Andrew Orr is a key name for project finance work.
Practice head(s):
Euan Wilson
Other key lawyers:
Andrew Orr; Stewart MacIver
Key clients
3i
Dalmore Capital
Sir Robert McAlpine
Aviva Public Private Finance
Network Rail
Infrastructure Managers Limited
Robertson Capital Projects
Green Investment Bank /GIG
Morgan Sindall Investments
Semperian
Blue Transmission
Envac UK
ISS Mediclean
Lloyds Bank
Transport for London
UPM Kymmene UK
Triple Point
Alpha Real Capital
Aggreko
Amey
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
Choice Housing
Tenaga Nasional Berhad
HM Govt/Official Receiver
Work highlights
- Acting for Semperian on its £136m refinancing of the Thameside Prison Project.
- Appointed by Network Rail to advise on the Crewe Area Works project, an infrastructure project facilitating the connection between HS2 and the West Coast Main Line.
- Assisted Envac UK with its involvement in the Barking Riverside London Development.
- Advising Amey on a £400m strategic 10-year partnership contract with the Education Authority in Belfast to service, manage and modernise the entire education estate under the Authority’s control.
- Acting for Choice Housing, as part of a consortium with Macquarie and John Sisk and Son, on a €300m Irish social housing PPP programme.
Shepherd and Wedderburn
Shepherd and Wedderburn stands out for its ability to advise on all aspects of a project including acting across all five of the Scottish hub territories. Under the leadership of Stephen Colliston, the team handles hub projects for public sector and funder clients, and also assists with operational projects, particularly those requiring secondary market, variation and disputes advice.
Practice head(s):
Stephen Colliston
Other key lawyers:
Nigel Sievwright
Key clients
City of Edinburgh Council
Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale
South Ayrshire Council
States of Jersey
Acciona Industrial S.A
West Dunbartonshire Council
West Lothian Council
Ayr Environmental Services Limited
Caledonian Environmental Services Plc
Wheatley Housing Group
North Ayrshire Council
Balfour Beatty Investments Limited
Dexia Credit Local
Bank of New York Mellon
North Lanarkshire Council
Consort Healthcare (various SPVs)
Transform Schools (various SPVs)
Work highlights
- The team is advising this German bank on the development of a DBFM hub Project in the north east of Scotland.
- The firm is acting for the City of Edinburgh Council in one of the UK’s biggest regeneration projects at St James Quarter which is based on the Growth Accelerator Model (GAM).
- West Dunbartonshire Council appointed the firm to assist with the UK’s first large-scale water source heat pump district heating system
- Shepherd Wedderburn is providing counsel to States of Jersey on the procurement of its £466m Future Hospital Project.
- Colliston is leading the advice to West Lothian Council in relation to its City Region Deal Project.
Anderson Strathern
The projects team at Anderson Strathern is best known for its work in public sector regeneration, public procurement, construction and the education sector. The group notably acts for the Scottish government, mainly on road infrastructure projects, and regularly collaborates with the firm's transport sub-team. Practice head Karyn Watt specialises in construction law and the Glasgow-based Audrey Cameron leads the public sector group.
Practice head(s):
Karyn Watt
Other key lawyers:
Audrey Cameron; Pat Loftus; Martin Whiteford
Key clients
Woking Borough Council
Midlothian Council
Scottish Government / Transport Scotland
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
South East Scotland Transport Partnership
Glasgow City Council
City of Edinburgh Council
Highland Council
INEOS
Edinburgh Napier University
Fife Council
Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service
Work highlights
- Advised Transport Scotland on the Scottish trunk roads network and associated roads projects, including the A9 dualling project.
- Advising the University of Highlands and Islands on the proposed development of a life sciences research centre.
- Assisting Midlothian Council with the construction of two primary schools, nurseries and sports facilities.
- Acting for Victoria Square Woking, a joint venture between Woking Borough Council and Moyallen Woking, on the redevelopment of Woking town centre.
DLA Piper
At DLA Piper Scotland LLP, Lillian Mackenzie was recently appointed as head of finance, projects and restructuring in Scotland. The group acts for international clients alongside a notable domestic client base including local authorities, which it advises on procurement models; the Welsh government is a key example. The team is also active in the education sector, and recently gained several new clients in the space.
Practice head(s):
Lillian Mackenzie
Other key lawyers:
Sharon Fitzgerald
Testimonials
‘The diversified work in different legal sectors with qualified experts distinguishes DLA Piper’s projects experts.’
‘DLA Piper provides considerable experience in infrastructure procurement, particularly PPP.’
‘For an international practice, the personal interest taken by the partners is exceptional and allows them to comment sensibly at any given moment. The team’s genuine credibility in the market draws on many years of delivering successful projects in a practical, non-confrontational way.’
‘The projects team makes a real effort to support clients in their own business requirements beyond just the provision of legal services.’
‘Sharon Fitzgerald is a very open and cooperative person. She has very strong networking skills.’
‘Sharon has immense global experience and is a great communicator, but what makes her stand out is how personable she is and her behavourial ethics. She is someone who clients trust implicitly for impeccable and timely advice.’
‘Lillian Mackenzie is exceptionally capable and experienced, gaining her experience through the evolution of the PPP model throughout the UK. She offers practical solutions in a positive way and ensures that the client is fully informed before taking a decision – a true positive addition to any team.’
‘Sharon Fitzgerald and Peter Dornan both deserve a mention for high-quality advice and support and a very practical approach to supporting their clients with the delivery of projects.’
Key clients
City of Glasgow Council
Welsh Government
Equitix
Galliford Try
InfraRed
Green Africa Power
Velindre NHS Trust
Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Government of Ghana
Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe
National Grid
Serco
GE (General Electric)
Lloyds Banking Group
Nord LB
Work highlights
- Advising Welsh Government on the development of the Mutual Investment Model.
- Advising the Velindre University NHS Trust on the design, build, finance and maintenance of a new cancer centre.
- Assisted Kelda Water with the sale of various Scottish subsidiaries involved in the regulated water sector, the operation and maintenance of various ministry of defence sites, and the release of security and the reorganisation of funding.
- Advising Investec on the Cardiff Parkway, St. Mellons park-and-ride railway station joint venture.
Harper Macleod LLP
Harper Macleod LLP has a strong presence in the hub initiative space, demonstrated by the firm's client roster, which includes hub North Scotland. The team, led from Edinburgh by Euan Pirie, also has substantial experience in student accommodation projects, and fields a specialist contentious PPP group. Senior associate Catriona Kemp handles project financing agreements and the corporate aspects of projects.
Practice head(s):
Euan Pirie
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Through many years of experience of working in the sector, Harper Macleod’s project attorneys have developed a detailed understanding of the commercial drivers which are important to their clients. They use this knowledge to establish terms of contract that clients know in advance will meet their internal approvals process.’
‘Euan Pirie has a broad knowledge of the market-specific terms that clients should be able to negotiate with. He is assisted by associate Catriona Kemp, who is particularly skilled in the corporate governance side of complicated deal structures.’
Key clients
Hub North Scotland Limited
Dragados SA/Dragados UK Limited
University of St Andrews
City of Edinburgh Council
North Ayrshire Council
Lanarkshire Health Board
Kingdom Initiatives
Derwent Housing Association Limited/Derwent FM (Derwent Living)
FCC Construccion S.A.
Roadbridge UK Limited
Inverclyde Council
Work highlights
- Advised Hub North Scotland (Inverurie Campus) on the £60m Inverurie Community Campus hub design, build, finance and maintenance project.
- Advising an FCC Construction and Roadbridge UK construction joint venture on its bid for the A465 Heads of the Valleys Mutual Investment Model roads project, the first MIM (PPP) project to be procured in Wales.
- Acted for City of Edinburgh Council on its energy efficient street lighting programme.
DWF
DWF's energy practice assists with the corporate, finance, regulatory and commercial, real estate, planning and environmental aspects of major projects and procurements, and has also built on its reputation in the electricity, gas and renewables sectors. Corporate experts David Gilchrist and Wayne Lawrence jointly lead the department from Glasgow and Edinburgh respectively.
Practice head(s):
Wayne Lawrence; David Gilchrist
Key clients
ScottishPower Group
Yorkshire Gas and Power
Yingli Green Energy Europe GmbH
Yingli Namene Solar Limited
Certas Energy UK Limited
Loco2gen
Vensys Energy AG
Economy Energy
Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City Council and Moray Council
Dundee City Council and Angus Council
South Staffordshire plc
Gildemeister Energy Solutions GmbH
Discovery Park Limited
Farm Energy Partnership LLP
ENERTRAG AG
Namene Solar Light Company
Work highlights
- Advising SP Transmission on the Kendoon to Tongland 132kV Reinforcement Project, a development which is included in Scotland’s National Planning Framework 3.
- Advising Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council on the procurement of their £120m joint energy-from-waste development in Aberdeen.