Embedded in the firm’s UK-wide environment practice, Pinsent Masons LLP handles the full remit of environmental law, with particular expertise in the areas of energy, infrastructure, housing and manufacturing. Legal director Ross McDowall heads up the Scottish practice and is a crucial member of Jennifer Ballantyne‘s UK-wide planning, environment, energy and infrastructure group. The workload ranges from permitting, transactional and planning matters to EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) compliance, litigation and regulatory enforcement. Head of the firm’s global water market group, Gordon McCreath, is also recommended for his contentious and non-contentious expertise in issues pertaining to the management of waste and water.
Environment in Scotland
Pinsent Masons LLP
Practice head(s):
Jennifer Ballantyne; Ross McDowall
Other key lawyers:
Gordon McCreath
Key clients
E.ON
Diamond Transmission Corporation
Orsted
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Syngenta Limited
Enva Scotland
Greencoat Capital LLP
RWE
Harworth Estates Investments Ltd
Kier Infrastructure
Environment Agency
Scottish & Southern Energy
Motor Fuel Group
Work highlights
- Advising a number of clients across a range of sectors on climate change and sustainability, net zero and ESG projects.
- Advising Unboxed on the environmental law issues associated with the use of a partially decommissioned North Sea gas rig.
- Representing SEPA in a number of appeals taken against its permitting decisions, including following its decision to refuse two conjoined environmental permitting applications.
Brodies LLP
With Philip Hunter heading up Brodies LLP‘ environment practice, work at the transactional intersection constitutes a significant area of strength; his expertise is a reflection of the team’s workload, which includes issues pertaining to the management of waste, water pollution and contaminated land, as well as environmental impact assessments, decommissioning projects and low emission zones. Niall McLean is an essential contact for contentious instructions, although is also well-placed to handle environmental due diligence exercises in the non-contentious space.
Practice head(s):
Philip Hunter
Other key lawyers:
Neil Collar; Niall McLean; Sarah-Jane McArthur; George Sismey-Durrant
Testimonials
‘The practice has an exemplary ESG service and are always willing to get involved.’
‘They are always open to exploring potential synergies to make client interactions more effective.’
‘Philip Hunter is committed to environmental and climate law and is an expert voice in this area.’
‘Brodies have proved responsive, client-focused and extremely knowledgeable. They show a real strength in depth with respect to Scots law matters, and we have had an excellent experience working with their strong lawyers.’
‘Philip Hunter shows great calmness and composure in managing rapidly changing transactions, and is someone who you would always trust in challenging moments.’
‘George Sismey-Durrant has excelled in challenging situations a number of times. Someone with a bright future.’
Key clients
Clyde Gateway Developments Limited
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
City of Edinburgh Council
Shockingly Fresh
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Falkirk Council
Indaver NV/ Indaver Ness Services Limited
Orbital Marine Power
Ikigai Energy
Mowi
Cooke Aquaculture
Orkney Island Council
Work highlights
- Advising Clyde Gateway on a geothermal project for low carbon heating.
- Advising Edinburgh City Council on the implementation of low emission zones.
- Advised Indaver UK on the acquisition of BIP Chemical Holdings Limited and BIP Environmental Limited.
CMS
CMS‘s expertise in the energy and infrastructure sectors translates into regular instructions at various intersections, including environmental impact assessments and habitats regulations appraisals alongside waste and recycling issues, permitting and planning matters, and environmental enforcement actions. Senior associate Joanna Waddell has particular experience in the latter space having handled a number of investigations by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The Edinburgh-based Robin Hutchison heads up the team and is an experienced planning partner with a specialism in renewable energy projects.
Practice head(s):
Robin Hutchison
Other key lawyers:
Mark McMurray; Rosalind Morgan; Joanna Waddell
Testimonials
‘Ability to quickly understand the technical detail and nuances related to the specific sector that we work in. Understanding of risk related to our operations as a result of any issue arising. Ability to react quickly to any issue that arises. Their service gives me confidence in action that we take.’
‘Joanna Waddell – Technical expertise excellent, advice excellent, willingness to utilise colleagues expertise if required to ensure we get the best service, incredibly approachable, empathetic, understands risks and rewards of various strategies, easy to speak to, clear communicator, always able to accommodate tasks at short notice.’
Key clients
Bakkafrost Scotland Limited
Barr Environmental Limited
Brockwell Energy
Cadent Gas
Curlew Property LP
EDF Energy
EDF Renewables
Equinor
Green Investment Group
Hargreaves Land Limited
Lhyfe SA
National Grid
North Lanarkshire Council
Northern Ireland Water
Red Rock Power
Renfrewshire Council
Repsol Sinopec
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Water
Sembcorp
SSE plc
Tarmac Trading Limited
Tarmac Limited
Trump International Golf
University of Glasgow
University of St Andrews
Wind 2 Limited
Work highlights
- Advised SSE on EIA and HRA for onshore wind projects and hydro schemes, as well as on marine licensing for offshore wind projects.
- Advised National Grid on the environmental liability issues posed by industrial sites that had been owned by them.
- Advising Falkirk Council on the development of the Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme.
Davidson Chalmers Stewart
Handling waste management issues constitutes a core strength of Davidson Chalmers Stewart‘s team, not least due to the expertise of practice head Laura Tainsh. Recent contentious instructions include Scottish Landfill Tax tribunal cases and enforcement actions, whereas in the non-contentious sphere, the group provides advice on contaminated land in addition to transactional, regulatory, compliance and contractual matters.
Testimonials
‘An experienced, knowledgeable and friendly team. They work together well to scope out the project brief and take onboard client input.’
‘Where issues do occur they will discuss promptly with the client and agree a way forward. Where required this may involve gaining input from other members of the team.’
‘We value Laura Tainsh for her environmental and waste management expertise.’
Key clients
Saica Natur UK
W.H. Malcolm Limited
Suez Group
Tartan Leisure Limited
Pelagia UK
Bakkafrost
Scottish Water
Brewster Bros Ltd
Patersons of Greenoakhill
Renewable Power Systems Ltd
Work highlights
- Advised Pelagia UK on the interpretation of complex regulatory issues relating to emissions to air from industrial processes in relation to the company’s processing operation at its plant in Aberdeen.
- Advised Brewster Bros. Limited on a transaction involving the lease of sites to be developed for quarrying and aggregates, including all permitting requirements.
- Advised the Malcolm group on all regulatory and environmental matters, including negotiation with the regulator.
Shepherd and Wedderburn
Shepherd and Wedderburn is noted for its expertise in environmental impact assessments and habitats regulations appraisals, with a particular focus on energy, fish farm and forestry projects, although regulatory matters and transactional work are also areas of strength for the team. Practice head Scott McCallum, an expert in the renewable energy space, is recommended alongside consultant Patricia Hawthorn, who deals with various regulatory and compliance matters in the non-contentious sphere.
Practice head(s):
Scott McCallum
Other key lawyers:
Colin Innes; Patricia Hawthorn
Testimonials
‘Our go-to team for any queries on environmental permitting – they have great experience and are aware of our business needs.’
‘Approachable, friendly and very competent.’
‘Their work is of high quality and they deliver advice under challenging time constraints, which is essential for a business like ours which needs quick feedback on risks.’
Key clients
Orsted Power UK Limited
Moray Offshore Windfarm (West) Limited
Optimus Wind Limited
Scottish Water
Work highlights
- Advising Ørsted Power UK Limited on the Net Zero Teeside Carbon Capture and Storage Project, including an objection to the Net Zero Teeside DCO.
- Advising Moray Offshore Windfarm (West) Limited on environmental management plans and ensuring consent compliance.
- Advising Optimus Wind Limited on a range of matters relating to the Hornsea Project Two.
Dentons
Glasgow-based senior associate Pamela Coulthard heads up Dentons‘ environment team in Scotland, which sits within the firm’s UK-wide environment practice; she is a regular port of call in regulatory, compliance and enforcement matters pertaining to waste management, pollution prevention, and contaminated land, and often provides transactional support to the firm’s corporate and property groups. Recent work involves clients operating in the retail, oil and gas, manufacturing, financial services, and food and drink sectors.
Practice head(s):
Pamela Coulthard
Key clients
Marks and Spencer
Ministry of Defence
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited
TotalEnergies
Amazon EU Sarl
Top Golf
Lidl Stiftung & Co
John Lewis Plc
Slip Holdings Pty Ltd
Baxters Food Group Limited
SDI Property Limited/Sports Direct
TK Maxx
Fluor
The Restaurant Group
Work highlights
- Advising Lidl Stiftung & Co on the incoming mandatory Scottish Deposit Return Scheme.
- Advising Premier Foods on the acquisition of The Spice Tailor for an initial consideration of £43.8m.
- Advising the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on all environmental aspects of its £10bn re-procurement of its maritime services contracts.
Harper Macleod LLP
Harper Macleod LLP is a regular adviser to public sector bodies, environmental campaign groups and renewable energy developers, with transaction-related environmental due diligence and regulatory matters a typical instruction from the latter. Glasgow-based Peter Ferguson anchors the team’s non-contentious offering, heading up the practice alongside the Edinburgh-based Jennifer Jack, an expert in environmental disputes, such as judicial reviews and public inquiries.
Practice head(s):
Peter Ferguson; Jennifer Jack
Testimonials
‘Jennifer Jack is a very prominent public law specialist who has an excellent grasp of the issues at hand. She quite correctly has received many professional accolades in the past.’
‘Friendly and helpful.’
‘Peter Ferguson is always eager to help.’
Key clients
NatureScot
Marine Scotland
Environmental Standards Scotland
Scottish Forestry
Cairngorms National Park Authority
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Moray Council
The Highland Council
City of Edinburgh Council
Orkney Islands Council
Fife Council
Glasgow City Council
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
Greenpeace UK
Fred Olsen Renewables
EnergieKontor
Capital Dynamics
Octopus Energy
Green Power International
Invenergy
JLEN/Foresight
Maple Power Limited
Metka EGN Ltd
Work highlights
- Representing Greenpeace in a legal challenge to the UK Government’s grant of consent which allows BP and Ithaca Energy to produce oil and gas from the Vorlich field in the North Sea.
- Assisting NatureScot with an opposing appeal to the Scottish Land Court against NatureScot’s refusal of an application for consent to undertake operations within a site of special scientific interest.
- Advising Foresight Energy Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition of a 210mw pumped storage hydro and 33.6mw wind scheme at Glenmuckloch.