Blackadders LLP > Dundee, United Kingdom > Firm Profile
Blackadders LLP Offices
30&34 Reform Street
DD1 1RJ
United Kingdom
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Blackadders LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
Real estate > Commercial property: elsewhere in Scotland Tier 2
Blackadders LLP is equipped to support on the full remit of development, investment, landlord and tenant, acquisition and disposal matters. Dundee-based team head Emma Gray has particular accomplishment in the self-invested personal pension (SIPP) and affordable housing sectors; she is a regular advisor to housebuilders and developers on site acquisitions, assembly matters, and option agreements. Other recommended individuals include Stuart King (Dundee) and Neil Robb (Aberdeen).Practice head(s):
Emma Gray
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Scape Homes Limited
Salvation Army Trading
AG Restaurants Ltd
DS Group
A & J Stephen
Morris Leslie Group
BMI Healthcare
Hays Travel
Curtis Banks
James Hay Pension Trustees
Coffeepots
Work highlights
Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: elsewhere in Scotland Tier 3
Blackadders LLP maintains an influential presence in the Scottish corporate and commercial space, offering solid experience of the M&A and investment deals market and a burgeoning reputation across key sectors including technology, life sciences, healthcare and energy. Kirk Dailly took over as head of the firm’s corporate and commercial team in August 2022, spearheading the firm’s drive to become Scotland’s leader in the video games industry. Campbell Clark is also a key presence in Dundee, bringing over 20 years of high-value transactional experience.Practice head(s):
Kirk Dailly
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very experienced employee buyout team.’
‘Campbell Clark has extensive experience of advising on employee buyouts.’
‘They are energetic, interested, highly knowledgeable and dedicated.’
‘They always go above and beyond and keep clients updated with progress and timescales for completion of work, as well as costs.’
‘They are genuinely passionate and interested in helping your business, which comes across in spades.’
‘The team are extremely responsive to client’s needs.’
‘Kirk Dailly is a stand out individual for his responsiveness and efficiency. During complex M&A processes he is able to simplify issues and support clients to make key decisions, understanding all the risks and issues.’
‘This is a well established practice with a team that understands a client’s business. They are very clear in their advice with a minimum need for back and forth explanation.’
Work highlights
Private client > Family Tier 3
Based primarily in Dundee and Aberdeen, Blackadders LLP's family law practice routinely handles financial disputes involving international, corporate and tax law aspects. Led by litigator Craig Samson, the team includes accredited family and child law specialist Gareth Masson, whose practice covers child relocation cases, adoptions and permanency orders, and associate Joanne Murray, an accredited family law specialist and mediator, who regularly appears in local sheriff courts.Practice head(s):
Craig Samson
Other key lawyers:
Work highlights
- Advising on a cohabitation financial dispute under s28 of the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006, including a successful appeal to the Sheriff Appeal Court.
- Advising on a case concerning sudden relocation of children from Scotland to Northern Ireland, including allegations of domestic abuse, contempt of court, reinstating contact and a complex financial dispute.
- Acting for an individual in a Court of Session action brought by the opponent and pertaining to financial provision. This involves tax liabilities, proceeds from the sale of a company, and a dispute regarding financial support (aliment).
Private client > Personal tax, trusts and executries Tier 3
With a strong presence in the north of Scotland, the private client practice at Blackadders LLP acts for a wide range of clients, including individuals, trustees, executors and businesses. The group handles the full range of tax, trusts and executries issues and has a particularly strong personal wealth offering. Laura McDowall and Gillian Brown jointly head the practice, which also includes Johnston Clark and Dale Ross. The team strengthened its estates and trusts planning and administration capabilities with the arrival of Karen Phillips from Balfour+Manson LLP in 2022.Practice head(s):
Laura McDowall; Gillian Brown
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
South Lanarkshire Council
The Salvation Army
The Great Scottish Tapestry
The V&A of Dundee
Guildry Incorporation of Dundee
The City of Dundee Burgesses
Balnacraig School
Glasgow City Council
Dundee City Council
The Royal High School Club Trust
Royal High School Athletic Ground Trust
Dundee Disabled Children’s Association
Edradour Housing Association
Perth Forces Charitable Trust
The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee General Charity Fund
Walter Craig Charitable Trust
William S Phillips Fund
Employment Tier 4
Blackadders LLP is well equipped to guide employers and employees through the full spectrum of employment law. Dundee-based co-head Simon Allison acts for the former client group with a particular focus on the construction, manufacturing and transport sectors; fellow co-head Donna Reynolds adds to this offering with her expertise in unfair dismissal and disability discrimination claims. Elsewhere, the group’s continued healthcare focus has resulted in frequent instructions from GP practices, and due not least to its partnership with T C Young, it has also represented a number of housing associations. Stephen Connolly and Jack Boyle are recommended for their specialism in employment tribunal proceedings.Practice head(s):
Simon Allison; Donna Reynolds
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
University of Dundee
TC Young LLP
Hillcrest Maintenance Limited
David Livingstone Trust
Leisure & Culture Dundee
Martin Aitken & Co
Reith Lambert FM LLP
Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons, Glasgow
Global Connections Scotland Ltd
Two Fat Ladies Ltd
Ubuntu Women’s Shelter
Dunedin Advisory
Scotland Food & Drink
First Scottish Group
Staff Buddy Limited
Mihaus Limited
Elder Homes Limited
Middlebrooks Advisory Limited
Taxi Central Ltd
The Ogilvie Group
National Express plc
The Fairmont, St Andrews
Leisure and Culture Dundee
The Insights Group Limited
Dover Fueling Solutions Limited
Abbeyford Leisure Limited
C J Lang & Son Limited
Waracle Limited
R T Stuart Limited
Scottish Salmon Limited
Monterey Jacks Limited
CR Smith Glaziers (Dunfermline) Limited
Dell Corporation Limited
AK Recruitment Limited
Macfie & Co LLP
Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 4
Highly active on the contentious and non-contentious side, Blackadders LLP advises on the whole range of personal and corporate insolvency matters, encompassing administrations, citizenships, CVAs, sequestrations and trust deeds. Team head Ryan McKay is also focused on contentious work and has a growing reputation for representing individuals, such as company directors, affected by insolvency. Stephanie Carr departed for Thorntons Law LLP in May 2023.Practice head(s):
Ryan McKay
Work highlights
Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow Tier 5
The corporate and commercial practice at Blackadders LLP continues to improve its reputation in the Scottish market across a number of key sectors including technology, life sciences, video games, healthcare, and energy. Kirk Dailly leads the corporate offering from Dundee, regularly advising clients in relation to business sales and purchases, share buybacks, and commercial contracts. Healthcare specialist Peter Duff leads the Glasgow offering and handles a number of high-value M&A transactions with the support of associate Dario Demarco.Practice head(s):
Kirk Dailly
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team are experts in pharmacy transactions.’
‘Pharmacy businesses should seek Peter Duff and Dario Demarco due to their extensive experience in handling pharmacy transactions, both asset sales and share sales.’
‘Blackadders understand the journey of a start-up and offer the support when needed through every challenge faced.’
‘Peter Duff acts as hungry as an associate.’
‘Dario Demarco is the work horse in the team who moves fast with fantastic advice along the way.’
‘Full-service solicitors with rapid response time.’
‘They help shape a deal rather than passively following client instruction.’
‘Peter Duff is highly experienced in the healthcare sector and always happy to discuss topical market issues from a client perspective.’
Work highlights
- Advised the shareholders of an award-winning kids class booking and management software provider on the sale of the company to The Access Group.
- Advised spherical display company Pufferfish Limited on its latest fundraising round and convertible loan note conversion, led by Par Equity and Scottish Enterprise.
- Advised Woodrow Timber & Supplies on the sale of the entire business to MKM Building Supplies as part of the expansion of their branch network.
Real estate > Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow Tier 5
Key strengths of Blackadders LLP include development, investment, sale, acquisition, leasing and portfolio management matters, with an increasing number of instructions stemming from the retail and leisure sectors. Fraser Hardie left the firm in March 2023 and subsequently took on an in-house role at CalaChem, and Azeem Arshad departed for Spencer West in August 2023.Practice head(s):
Emma Gray
Other key lawyers:
Andrew Yule
Key clients
AG Restaurants Ltd
DS Group
A & J Stephen
Morris Leslie Group
BMI Healthcare
Hays Travel
Curtis Banks
James Hay Pension Trustees
Coffeepots
Work highlights
- Providing the Bank of Middle East with Scottish property advice and dealing with various standard securities.
- Advising Cumberland Building Society on numerous security transactions in properties across Scotland.
- Acting for DS Group in a number of high value acquisitions across Scotland.
Blackadders LLP > Firm Profile
Blackadders can trace its roots back to 1773, and is the result of several amalgamations and acquisitions.
The firm: Blackadders employs over 250 staff. The firm’s legal expertise, professional support staff and technical resources combine to create a first-class legal service capability for both business and individual clients.
Blackadders’ private client practice advises on wills, executries, trusts and tax planning services.
Blackadders has transformed the executry/probate function within its private client department by implementing a FloSuite IT solution which automates and manages its day-to-day operations. Since going live with the FloSuite executry solution, the firm’s own ROI study has recorded a range of clear business benefits, including efficiency gains of around 50% in the processing of executries.
The firm’s business lawyers are known for their straight talking and for the delivery of agreed outcomes. They have the attitude and experience to help clients achieve their business objectives by providing responsive, clear and strategic commercial advice. The underlying aim in handling all business work is to safeguard the clients’ financial future. This is achieved by spending time learning about each client and understanding how they wish to take their business forward.
Types of work undertaken: The firm’s emphasis is on maintaining long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with clients and this has resulted in a substantial portfolio of private individuals, SMEs and large corporate clients. The firm focuses on the following principal areas of work:
Business: the firm’s specialist team is expert in all areas of commercial and corporate work, especially corporate finance, corporate financial planning, dispute resolution, licensing, and intellectual property and technology.
Employment: the award-winning employment team is highly rated and is recognised for its expertise. The team offers the full range of services spanning the entire employer/employee relationship, from recruitment through to retirement.
Private client: the team of experienced private client lawyers and client care specialists advises on a full range of issues such as wills, trusts, executries, powers of attorney and inheritance tax planning. The team works to ensure each client’s financial wellbeing is maximised, using specific wealth planning strategies tailored to fit individuals, family trusts or other private groups’ needs.
Family/matrimonial: the award winning family law team’s knowledge and experience combine to ensure that clients feel supported during a potentially difficult time in their lives. The team focuses on child law, separation and divorce, and collaborative mediation.
Property: the property services division includes residential, rural, commercial, property, conveyancing and estate agency.
Offices: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh & Glasgow.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Partner | Johnston Clark | johnston.clark@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Chairman | Peter Duff | peter.duff@blackadders.co.uk | 0141 248 1888 |
Private client | Johnston Clark | johnston.clark@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Family Law | Craig Samson | craig.samson@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Joint Managing Partner | Emma Gray | emma.gray@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Commercial | Campbell Clark | campbell.clark@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Corporate | Campbell Clark | campbell.clark@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Employment | Simon Allison | simon.allison@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Joint Managing Partner | Ryan McKay | ryan.mckay@blackadders.co.uk | 01224 588913 |
Employment | Donna Reynolds | donna.reynolds@blackadders.co.uk | 0131 222 8000 |
Rural Land and Business | Philip Buchan | philip.buchan@blackadders.co.uk | 0131 222 8000 |
Corporate and Commercial | Kirk Dailly | kirk.dailly@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Employment | Stephen Connolly | stephen.connolly@blackadders.co.uk | 0141 248 1888 |
Family Law | Gareth Masson | gareth.masson@blackadders.co.uk | 01224 588913 |
Private Client | Dale Ross | dale.ross@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Private Client | Karen Phillips | karen.phillips@blackadders.co.uk | 0131 222 8000 |
Private Client | Laura McDowall | laura.mcdowall@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Private Client | Gillian Brown | gillian.brown@blackadders.co.uk | 0141 248 1888 |
Commercial Property | Neil Robb | neil.robb@blackadders.co.uk | 01224 588913 |
Commercial Property | Stuart King | stuart.king@blackadders.co.uk | 01382 229222 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Mr Simon Allison | Partner and Head of Employment Law. Main area of work is employment… | View Profile | |
Jack Boyle | Director | View Profile | |
Mr Johnston Clark | Johnston is a director and panel member of The Legal Defence Union,… | View Profile | |
Mr Campbell Clark | Campbell is a Partner in the firm’s business division. He is a… | View Profile | |
Mr Kirk Dailly | Kirk is a Partner, Head of Corporate and Commercial along with Head… | View Profile | |
Emma Gray | Joint Managing Partner Emma joined Blackadders in 2013 to head up the… | View Profile | |
Mr Stuart King | Partner | View Profile | |
Laura McDowall | Partner and Head of Private Client, Laura specialises in adults with incapacity,… | View Profile | |
Susan McFadyen | Partner | View Profile | |
Mr Dale Ross | Partner | View Profile | |
Mr Craig Samson | Partner and Head of Family Law. | View Profile |