Firm Profile > Brodies LLP > Edinburgh, Scotland

“The team’s technical knowledge across what is a broad sector can only be described as consistently impressive. What is equally impressive is the team’s ability to apply that knowledge practically and commercially.”

“The firm offers approachable and knowledgeable local solicitors with practical experience of landowner and occupier issues.” 

“There is real depth in the team at Brodies and it works seamlessly with colleagues in other departments. The level of professionalism and commercial judgement are first class.”

“Clive Phillips has an excellent understanding of the market and regularly provides insight into current topics.”

‘Brodies has good levels of experience across the team.’

‘The finance team at Brodies is efficient, known for its quick turnaround times, reasonable pricing and good client relationship skills.’

‘The banking group is made up of approachable, sensible and smart lawyers. They take a business-focused approach to the advice they provide and are quick to anticipate issues and suggest options.’

‘Neal Richardson is worthy of special mention. He is very efficient and always turns work around quickly to a good standard and reasonable price.’

‘Bruce Stephen stands out for his quick responses. He identifies the issues and focuses on solutions and options. His counsel is always sensible and clear.’

‘Housing sector expert Chris Dun is personally very hands-on in both the drafting of loan agreements and the project management stage. He takes a project from cradle to grave.’

‘Alan Knowles is very quick to respond and always remains calm and good-humoured.’

‘Kimberley Ryder-Forman, an associate in the team, provides high levels of service.’

‘Marion MacInnes is knowledgeable, to the point and, as importantly, lovely to work with – the value she provides extends beyond pure Scots law issues to cover broader points on any transaction.’

‘Within the parameters of the work we asked of them (setting up two SCIOs, advising on the content of the constitutions of the SCIOs, advising lay people on the duties of charity trustees, and obtaining the opinion above referred to),  a strong performance with no discernible weaknesses.’

‘Alan Eccles is recognised as one of the leading advisers in the Scottish charities sector.’

‘Very professional, friendly, responsive.‘

‘Joyce Cullen is a pleasure to work with. She always provides pragmatic, and commercially sensible advice.’

‘The firm has a track record of hiring some of the best and brightest associates.‘

‘Joyce Cullen is an unflappable doyenne of Scottish litigation solicitors.‘

‘Ken MacDonald is a seasoned litigator with a remarkable depth of expertise in the oil and gas sector.‘

‘Driven, well resourced and committed.‘

‘Tony Jones QC is bullish yet pragmatic.’

‘The team is sensitive to its clients’ specific requirements and strives to achieve all goals while maintaining commercial acumen in securing deals.‘

‘Johane Murray is solution-focused and has a great understanding of the commercial realities. This, combined with her approachable manner, establishes her as a key part of any development team. She is entirely committed to delivering the highest level of service across her team and the wider firm.‘

‘Colin Morrison is a class act and a very commercial operator. His team is very responsive, knowledgeable about the sector and always delivers on time and on budget.‘

‘Robert Forman is very commercial and always understands the deal.‘

‘Brodies always provides a first-class service through its stable team.‘

‘Laurence Douglas is a hugely reliable legal adviser with an excellent understanding of clients’ requirements and their need to hit tight schedules in the context of store openings. Work is undertaken diligently but also with good humour.‘

‘The real estate team is properly focused on what the clients need and expect. Its experts are keen to get to the nub of issues and strive not to get bogged down losing sight of the endgame.’

‘Its commercial understanding and nous makes Brodies stand out.’

‘Provides plain-English advice and is very quick to respond.‘

‘Jane McMonagle is excellent at explaining complex concepts in simple terms and asking relevant questions to understand the client’s commercial background.’

‘Alan Barr provides excellent, clear and concise advice with a wide perspective.’

‘Brodies is extremely efficient in ensuring that acquisitions are completed in a timely manner.‘

‘At Brodies, lawyers always go the extra mile for clients.‘

‘Brodies is not only a law firm but also works with a commercial and flexible approach, providing expert advice. The corporate team provides first-class direct access and expertise in a number of disciplines; it definitely delivers on its tier one status.‘

‘The individuals at Brodies provide and deliver a first-class level of service and advice, not to mention their speed of response. The confidence and expertise provided is of the calibre expected and required. They understand clients’ individual needs and this is what sets them apart from their competitors. Their ability to react and manage expectations, as well as the depth and width of expertise is the reason for the firm’s success.‘

‘Euan Tripp is concise and clear in his correspondence making it easier for foreign investors to understand the legal process undertaken. Additionally, he has a certain level of patience which inspires confidence.‘

‘Shuna Stirling is a thoroughly experienced lawyer and has fantastic people skills. She explains the process in plain English and is always available if the clients have any questions.‘

‘David Lightbody has always been quick to advise, and is an indispensable asset in dealing with investor relations and general corporate management.’

‘Brodies focuses on its delivery to the client’s requirements through a positive, collaborative approach.‘

‘The corporate lawyers at Brodies are very willing to help in any way they can. The team works together extremely well and has great knowledge in the subjects they have to deal with.’

‘The flexible, tolerant, detail-oriented, business-minded people at Brodies are willing to challenge when it is in the client’s best interests.‘

‘Brodies’ corporate experts are proactive and practical, eager to find workable solutions.‘

‘Brodies is a great commercial, pragmatic and London-quality firm based in Edinburgh.‘

‘Isobel D’Inverno has a very thorough knowledge of private and corporate law.‘

‘Heather Gibson is a young lawyer with a great appetite for work.‘

‘Duncan Cathie is careful and caring.‘

‘Karen Davidson brings real commerciality to the team as an ex-Big 4 partner.‘

‘Paul Marshall handles sensitive and serious matters very carefully.‘

‘Go-to firm for any regulatory and criminal matters.‘

‘Has a depth of resource and legal expertise.‘

‘Quickly establishes all the facts surrounding an event and acts with urgency to ensure the interests of the client are best served.‘

‘The team’s attitude to their clients and work sets a very good example within the industry.‘

‘They have sound knowledge about the Scottish debt recovery and litigation process.’

‘The team is quick to respond and answers any questions you may have, despite the busy caseload they have.’

‘Works hard to understand the client’s issues and concerns and contextualises its advice and support accordingly.‘

‘You can always rely on the team to work to very tight deadlines.‘

‘The team has the fantastic capability to advise on matters and see them through to advocacy in Employment Tribunals which gives them a massive advantage over firms who need to instruct external advocates.‘

‘Tony Hadden is an advocate with an outstanding track record of success.’

‘The team offers sound, pragmatic advice which takes into account reputational issues.’

‘Lynne Marr is exceptional. She inspires confidence in her advice through her pragmatic approach and sound grasp of the issues that matter most to the client.‘

‘Fiona Herrell is a real go-to person for all employment law matters. Her advice is practical and reliable – you can always rely on her to work to very tight timelines.’

‘Always looks at practicalities and the various ways of resolving a situation.’

‘Paul Marshall has a positive, realistic approach and genuinely cares about the matters referred to him.‘

‘The team has in-depth knowledge and knows how to use it to get results.‘

‘Brodies’ EU and competition team always provides detailed, accurate and timely legal advice that is also commercially and pragmatically focused.‘

‘Charles Livingstone has an excellent knowledge of the subject, gives practical advice efficiently and within required time limits.‘

‘Christine O’Neill, Charles Livingstone and Roger Cotton know their respective areas of law, have excellent communication skills and are able to tailor their advice to their individual clients.‘

‘Christine O’Neill stands out in all areas, not just in public law in which she is the pre-eminent specialist among solicitors in Scotland. She also has an excellent practice in EU and commercial matters and substantial knowledge in both areas.’

‘Brodies has an outstanding team of family lawyers, with a deservedly great reputation. They are supported by an outstanding firm, which means that there is back-up when unforeseen issues arise in relation to other areas of law.’

‘Brodies has a top flight family law team. It has a large team across three offices with strength and depth at all levels of seniority.’

‘Very professional, high quality and well mannered team.’

‘Lisa Girdwood is very approachable and takes time to explain things clearly.’

Richard Smith has a calm and competent manner and excellent judgement.’

‘Richard Smith is pragmatic, direct and has an excellent client manner.’

‘Scott Cochrane was not only my solicitor, but a supportive advocate through a very difficult child custody matter. My case was very complicated with an international aspect to it and he always had extensive knowledge about the law.’

‘Lisa Girdwood is well-informed and gives 100% commitment to her clients.’

‘The team has a wealth of experience in public and regulatory law.‘

‘Christine O’Neill is exceptional. She goes out of her way to explain the intricacies of Scots law and procedure to lay clients and English lawyers and demonstrates both a keen understanding of the client’s business and a commercial awareness of the issues.‘

‘Great attention to detail.‘

‘Christine O’Neill is a pragmatist with a dry sense of humour, she is great to work with.‘

‘Very experienced across the sector and able to provide excellent advice at all levels of the team.‘

‘Brodies has a diverse team with complimentary experience and skills that ensures it is always a safe pair of hands.’

‘The team has unparalleled expertise in this area.‘

‘Brodies’ IP experts are very efficient and effective.‘

‘Robert Buchan in particular has many years of experience in contentious IP matters. He can also assimilate a lot of information quickly in order to provide clear, concise and, importantly, commercial advice to a client, even in the most complex of matters.‘

‘The team is pragmatic and has a good feel for realistic outcomes.‘

‘Brodies’ TMT team always provides detailed, accurate and timely legal advice that is also commercially and pragmatically focused such that it has true value and meaning to the client’s wider business. The advice is also delivered in a clear and concise manner that is easily understood by a variety of audiences, particularly those who are not legally qualified. The team’s input is invaluable as it brings to the table unparalleled sector knowledge, awareness and insight.‘

“The team at Brodies displays intelligence, honesty and enthusiasm.”

“Christine O’Neill has a standout intellect combined with practicality and candour.” 

‘Brodies are a top tier Scottish firm with capability in every field, which is rare in the market.’

‘Brodies are friendly, approachable, swift in dealing with new and sometimes urgent matters that arise 24 hours a day, seven days a week.’

‘Duncan Mawby is a very competent and experienced lawyer.’

‘Brodies’ extensive industry experience has earned it a formidable reputation in the oil and gas sector, not only locally but internationally.‘

‘The team is very experienced and can easily draw on expertise from Brodies as a whole to provide a full-service legal offering including corporate and financing, employment, dispute resolution and litigation advice.‘

‘Brodies stands out through its efficient and flexible organisation, attention to detail, ability to meet deadlines and practical guidance through a thoroughly proactive approach.‘

‘Clare Munro is very good to work with. She is pragmatic, commercial and solutions-driven.‘

‘Greg May is exceptional and a real go-to partner for any oil and gas work. His in-house experience is invaluable and helps him deliver an exceptional service to his clients.‘

‘Greg May is an expert in the oil and gas contracting arena and is on-call 24/7.‘

‘Her deep intellect, experience and calmness make Clare Munro an invaluable ally in the oil and gas world.‘

‘Without hesitation, Christine O’Neill is the best public lawyer in practice in Scotland.‘

‘Leading public law solicitors in Scotland.‘

‘Christine O’Neill admirably combines experience and understanding while also being very approachable.‘

‘The team has extremely strong public law knowledge and experience.‘

‘Provides robust advice.‘

‘The team’s open and friendly manner coupled with a pragmatic approach is extremely helpful.‘

‘Always well prepared and definitely on top of the law.‘

‘Charles Livingstone has a fine eye for detail and an immense capacity for hard work.‘

‘Brodies is a top tier Scottish firm with capability in every field, which is rare in the market. They have an excellent brand and reputation, which is backed up by their performance on any case I’ve instructed them on.’

‘Elena Fry is a first-class solicitor – arguably the best in the market. She gets to the heart of any issues on a case very quickly, is pragmatic, and has very strong commercial acumen.’

‘The team’s technical knowledge and practical advice is highly valued.’

‘Alan Barr’s advice is highly valued as his decisiveness when giving that advice.’

‘Mark Stewart’s technical knowledge is the best of any private client solicitor in Aberdeen. His ability to take a step back and think about bespoke solutions for clients is brilliant.’

‘Alan Eccles is technically excellent and extremely efficient when producing any legal documents for our clients. He also simplifies complex issues in an eloquent manner.’

‘Helen Kidd is extremely proficient and very approachable, takes great care when discussing client issues and family dynamics and always has the time to discuss separate matters when needed.’

‘Very good communication with the client.‘

‘Has a clear understanding of the subject area and provides very good advice.’

‘Quick, comprehensive and professional service.‘

‘Alan Calvert and Louise Kelso are particularly praiseworthy; they bring calm consideration to the most vexatious of issues.’

‘Alan Calvert takes time to get to know clients and their cases and is a proactive communicator.’

In Alisdair Matheson, Brodies has a go-to Scottish construction insurance partner. Alisdair brings an understanding of the insurance market and a level of client engagement that others in Scotland struggle to match. He is knowledgeable, responsive and always on top of the detail.’

‘Great understanding of what we need and ability to meet our requirements at short notice on multiple occasions. Very well resourced.’

‘Great communication and desire to meet our requirements. Brilliant work product at short notice.’

‘The professional negligence team at Brodies is first class. They all work as a genuine team to secure practical solutions for their clients.’

‘Louise Kelso was exceptionally down-to-earth in her personal engagement and to-the-point, both in her accurate assessment of the situation/strengths and weaknesses of a case, and her advice on the correct practical approach to take to solve it.’

‘They are market leaders and assert their client’s position in a professional manner.‘

‘Matthew Farrell’s knowledge and ability to convey that knowledge is unparalleled.‘

‘Ken MacDonald is approachable, knowledgeable and grasps issues quickly.‘

‘Matthew Farrell’s ability to analyse a situation and present a range of solutions evokes trust.‘

‘Exceptional quality of work.‘

‘Very good level of communication.‘

‘Matthew Farrell provides hands-on advice, always looks for a solution to problems as they arise and shows out-of-the-box thinking.‘

‘The firm’s knowledge of and expertise in the railway and construction sectors are unparalleled.‘

‘The team resolves issues quickly and engages with the client throughout the process.‘

‘The team consists of professional and knowledgeable lawyers who are nice to deal with.‘

‘Practical, solution-based approach to problems.‘

‘The firm can deal with any problem and always takes a commercial approach.‘

‘Always delivers on time.‘

‘The practice always strives to be better and keeps its clients and fellow professionals abreast of changes in the industry and legislation.’

‘Duncan MacLean takes a pragmatic and commercial approach, which best serves both the insurer and the client.‘

‘The punctual, creative, constructive and pro- active legal approach delivered by Brodies is what makes it stand out from its competitors.‘

‘The team is always knowledgeable, helpful and quick to respond. The practitioners at Brodies are also happy to tell you when work is not required and to avoid unnecessary fees.‘

‘Sarah-Jane McArthur consistently shows great dexterity when it comes to guiding clients through legal challenges faced along the procurement process. She is easy to work with, always constructive and pro- active!‘

‘Pro-active engagement.‘

‘Good focus on adding value for the client.’

‘Makes options available clearly understood.‘

‘Paul Marshall provides timely, considered and balanced advice.‘

‘Very good attention to detail.‘

‘Led by Rachel Grant, this is one of the strongest teams in the Scottish insolvency and corporate recovery field. At Brodies, the advice is robust, detailed and well thought through with a commercial application for the client.‘

‘Brodies fields a strong team at all levels with great expertise combined with practical experience.‘

‘The insolvency and corporate recovery team at Brodies provides strong technical and commercial advice, which enables insolvency practitioners to make important decisions on complex issues.‘

‘Rachel Grant is one of the leading insolvency and corporate recovery lawyers in Scotland.‘

‘Rachel Grant is an extremely capable solicitor who has always been able to offer a practical solution to any issue. She is always approachable and quick to respond, which is a huge asset when faced with a time pressured situation.’

‘Karen Fountain is key to the advice provided by Brodies.’

‘Brodies fields a small tight-knit group, which delivers an exceptional service with excellent value for money.‘

‘Karen Fountain is very knowledgeable on the UK investment environment, and uses that knowledge in a pragmatic manner. She is always available and attentive to clients’ needs.‘

‘Brodies covers all types of legal services required, from IT, employment, tax and corporate law, but it is the firm’s cross-departmental approach that makes it unique and a pleasure to work with.‘

‘The team is there whenever clients need them, be that out of office hours or even during holidays.‘

‘What makes Brodies unique is the commercial and non-legal input it provides on the strategy to deliver a successful outcome.‘

‘Grant Campbell has excellent legal knowledge and can explain things in simple commercial terms. He will raise concerns or issues in a measured way allowing sensible debate on how to resolve or address specific issues.‘

‘Iain Rutherford is excellent to have on side in a dispute. He is robust in difficult situations but creative in finding resolutions to complex problems and open to a challenge.‘

‘Juliet Bayne takes ownership of issues and leads her team by example. She is a good communicator and delivers advice in a clear and easily understood manner.‘

‘Charges realistic fees.‘

‘Tasks are appropriately resourced between senior and junior staff with good levels of oversight.‘

‘Genuine expertise in the niche area of local government pension schemes.‘

‘Hard-working, conscientious, professional, intelligent, pragmatic.‘

‘Does not sit on the fence and is willing to give a firm opinion on issues even if it’s not the answer the client wants to hear.’

‘Provides an excellent service.‘

‘Meets deadlines very effectively.‘

‘Juliet Bayne is always prepared to deal with matters regardless of her other deadlines.’

‘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.‘

“Brodies’ work is of an extremely high standard. They advise on the legal aspects of any particular matter, but they are also extremely commercial in their approach and take time to understand our business, our challenges and think of ways to overcome them.”

“The firm’s work advising us on GDPR was superb and not only helped us get through this potential minefield, but actually meant that we were helping some of our clients navigate the challenges that GDPR created.”

“I can’t speak highly enough of Grant Campbell and his approach. His advice is pragmatic, commercial and very user-friendly.”