The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > Scotland > Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow

The commercial property team at Brodies LLP has recently been active in the emerging build-to-rent sector; it also has notable expertise in the investment, development, hotel, retail, leisure and housebuilding industries. Recent highlights include finance work, private equity investments, hotel management agreements, construction issues and licensing mandates. On the retail side, the group regularly acts for tenants and has expanded its client roster to include Tim Hortons, Waterstones, Pandora and Under Armour; the group has also gained new foreign investor and domestic developer clients. Johane Murray heads up the real estate practice and Colin Morrison leads the hotels and leisure group and the retail team. Managing partner Nick Scott also contributes to the practice, as does James Roscoe, who focuses on investment matters. Elaine Petterson in Glasgow recently made partner.

Burness Paull LLP has recently acted for its client base on high-profile regeneration work and also handled matters involving foreign investment into the Scottish real estate market. Along with leisure and retail occupiers, the firm also regularly assists corporate tenants. The group's development work includes matters in the build-to-rent sector relating to social housing projects and also private-rented sector initiatives; the team also has notable expertise in real estate financing work and residential, commercial and student accommodation mandates. John Strachan leads the practice and Graeme Bradshaw is the key contact for retail, leisure and hospitality clients; other key individuals include managing partner Tamar Tammes, Nick Naddell, who specialises in high-end investment deals, funding packages and landlord and tenant work; and Richard Rennie, who focuses on property investment and development work.

Dentons has recently expanded its UK coverage while maintaining its cross-border capabilities and expertise in English law. In recent highlights, the group handled a series of transactions involving shopping centres, UK-wide projects involving cinemas, mixed-use and industrial developments, and the delivery of new PRS housing units across the UK through its specialist housebuilding unit. Also notable is the team's established strength in the retail sector. Gordon Aitken and Simon Etchells jointly lead the department from the Glasgow office; Allan Cairns is a key contact in the Edinburgh office.

Leveraging the firm's global network, Pinsent Masons LLP is recognised for its cross-border commercial property work, especially in the energy space. The Scottish team, led by Katharine Hardie, has a strong track record in the residential development sector and is also singled out for regeneration mandates; Paul Connolly is the key name for development matters. The group's high-profile client roster also ensures the team regularly handles large-scale asset acquisitions including shopping centres and cross-border portfolio acquisitions; it also assists with cross-border restructuring and refinancing deals. Ewan Alexander, energy property team head Jennifer Ballantyne, and property investment specialist Russell Munro are also recommended.

Shepherd and Wedderburn counts housebuilders, funds, banks, investors and retailers as clients, and is noted for its development work, which spans mixed-use and residential developments, retail sector schemes and office developments. Hugh Smith and Jamie Grant jointly head the leisure and hospitality sub-group, which advises a roster of hotel operators, investors, financiers and managers on all aspects of hotel transactions and operations. The property group is jointly led by Andrew Hall and David Mitchell from Glasgow and Edinburgh respectively. Other key names include Nick Ryden and development expert James Dobie.

Addleshaw Goddard has significant capabilities in Scottish and English law matters, and recently strengthened its presence in the hotels and leisure, logistics, offices and portfolios, care homes, regeneration, retail, student accommodation and housing sectors. Practice head Miles Ede specialises in UK-wide portfolio acquisitions, asset management work for large corporate occupiers, investments and development transactions. Alison Newton is a key name for real estate development and investments, and Neil Addis focuses on real estate finance work and alternative properties.

Anderson Strathern fields a cross-departmental group encompassing commercial real estate, real estate tax, planning work, environment issues, procurements, construction matters and property disputes. The group's sector coverage spans the education, healthcare, energy, education and public sectors; it also handles residential developments. Chris Richardson leads the team with a particular specialism in English law and the retail space; Deborah Lovell focuses on property developments, renewable energy projects and commercial leasings; Anne McGregor handles real estate transactions and Ruth Maclean acts for housebuilders.

The real estate team at DLA Piper Scotland LLP acts for developers, property funds and corporate occupiers and has particular strength in student accommodation mandates, shopping centre issues and retail matters. The department also benefits from the firm's global network and regularly acts for international clients. Real estate practice head Drew Wallace has a notable track record in the development and investment fields and Steve Edgecombe leads the firm's hospitality and leisure team; clients also praise Sheila Irvine, who focuses on leasings, investment issues and developments.

The Scottish branch of DWF's UK-wide real estate practice has notable strength in investment, tourism, leisure and development work. The group also has an established presence in the retail sector, where it represents high-profile retailers and occupiers including Marks and Spencer, Premier Inn and WHSmith, and has recently expanded its client roster in the investment arena. The team, which is jointly led by David Ratter and Chris McLeish in Edinburgh and Glasgow respectively, also benefits from the firm's funds expertise in London and Glasgow. Iain McHardy is the key contact for retail work.

The commercial property group at Harper Macleod LLP regularly works alongside the firm's planning, construction, banking and corporate departments to handle strategic and high-profile development work, and purchase, sale and lease matters. The team's expertise focuses on the development of land for developers, banks and owners; issues in the housing space, utilities and infrastructure mandates, and work in the healthcare, education, leisure, hospitality and public sectors. John Meehan leads the group, which also includes David Bell and Chris Noble, who are the key contacts for work in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. Limor Wolfe was recently promoted to the partnership.

Douglas Lamb and Gillian Campbell lead the practice at MacRoberts LLP, which excels in development, investment, real estate finance and occupier lease work. The group has also recently built on its presence in the residential development space handling land acquisitions, refurbishments and overage and access arrangements. The firm's retail expertise encompasses retail investments and developments; Kelsey Gibson is the key contact.

The property team at Morton Fraser has particular strengths in the student accommodation and telecoms sectors, where Brian Hutcheson and public sector specialist Amy Entwistle lead the work respectively. Elspeth Carson heads up the retail sub-group. Michael Ramsay recently became head of the real estate group with former team leader Jonathan Seddon focusing on construction work. Other areas of expertise for the team include investment issues, residential housing developments, estate management work and pensions-related matters. Alan Stewart joined the firm from Dentons.

The real estate practice at BTO Solicitors LLP covers the full gamut of work for a variety of clients including private overseas investors and developers; the group also assists estates with diversification projects. David Gibson leads the group and is acting for the Scottish Football Association on all property aspects of the selection of the National Stadium. Other key practitioners include Jane Steel, who focuses on the retail sector; Scott Buchan, who has notable expertise in investment and development work; and newly promoted partner Jennifer Whitelaw.

Davidson Chalmers Stewart’s real estate team focuses on niche commercial work and regularly acts for large developers. The group is also active in the healthcare and housebuilding sectors, where it counts builders and primary care providers as key clients. Andrew Chalmers heads up the department, which also includes Gavin Maclean, who has notable experience in the retail, leisure and office sectors; and Bruce Lancaster, who handles property developments and forward funding agreements.

Gillespie Macandrew LLP's real estate team includes a prominent housebuilder sub-group led by Harry Smith. Kenneth Irons heads up the commercial property group generally and has a notable track record acting for corporate clients including international corporates and SMEs. The group also recently handled investment transactions, advised high-profile retail clients, and assisted English law firms with Scottish law issues. Greg Peebles regularly acts for student accommodation and healthcare developers.

Lindsays' real estate team is singled out for its retail sector strength along with healthcare and charity sector expertise. The group regularly handles healthcare transactions, principally regarding the purchase and sale of dental, pharmacy and veterinary practices, opticians, nursing homes and children’s nurseries. The practice's client roster also includes investors, developers and high-profile corporate occupiers. Practice head Derek Nash is particularly experienced in development and investment transactions, while Kenny Gray specialises in investment work.

Retail property work remains a key cornerstone of Shoosmiths' practice; it is particularly noted for its niche expertise in the shopping centre and retail park space and has expanded its work for retail landlords. The team also works closely with the firm's Birmingham and Manchester offices to handle cross-border mandates. Stephen Dougherty leads the group, which also includes retail expert Robin Mitchell.

TLT's Scottish real estate team recently benefitted from its merger with specialist commercial property boutique Leslie Wolfson & Co, which added three partners and a variety of clients to its roster. Nick Shenken also recently joined as a partner from Pinsent Masons LLP and has particular expertise in the clean energy sector. Kenneth Meldrum leads the group, which acts for a range of commercial property developers, investors, leisure operators and retailers.

Aberdein Considine leverages its key offices in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh to act for a high-profile client roster, which includes The Trump Organisation and Greggs. The real estate team focuses on landlord and tenant work, and office, retail and industrial property development matters. Paul Jennings leads the practice from Glasgow, and the firm's Aberdeen office is noted for its oil, gas and marine sector commercial work.

Bellwether Green acts for a significant client roster including landlords and property developers, and provides assistance with development, acquisition, funding and letting issues. The team, led by John Bingham, has strong experience acting for large tenants and advises Virgin Media and Liberty Global on Scottish property work. Bingham is based in Glasgow with Steven Templeton.

Weightmans LLP's real estate group is led from Glasgow by Cassandra Auld and was recently bolstered by the arrival of contentious expert Claire Thornber from Pinsent Masons LLP, and commercial expert Andrew Warren from legacy firm Morisons LLP. The group operates as part of the firm's wider UK real estate practice and regularly advises its clients on issues pertaining to real estate investments, developments, finance matters and litigation.

The Scottish real estate team at Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP sits as part of the firm's national UK practice, which the group leverages to assist with matters in the energy, residential, finance and retail sectors. Michael Spence leads the team and has a strong track record in development work; he recently relocated to Edinburgh from the Aberdeen office. Managing associate Philip Knight leads the real estate litigation team.