Gordon Hay > CMS > Edinburgh, United Kingdom > Lawyer Profile

CMS handles high-end M&A, project finance, development, procurement and disputes work for an enviable roster of large-cap sponsors, global developers, and financial institutions across the full breadth of energy assets, including notable engagement with onshore and offshore wind, hydrogen, battery storage and CCUS, and nuclear projects. The strong planning and consenting practice is coupled with deep-founded environmental and regulatory expertise and ensures the team is frequently instructed on large-scale, multifaceted developments requiring multiple assets and complex grid connection issues. Team lead Chris McGarvey ‘is a first-class energy lawyer’ and is noted for the breadth of his asset understanding and technical expertise. Co-head Robin Hutchinson specialises in planning work and is highly active in the renewable space, while fellow team-leads Gordon Hay and Darren Craig have a strong body of work focused on project finance. Co-head Frank Fowlie has a background in M&A, and Kirsty Nurse is a crucial contact for developers due to her dual-proficiency in commercial and financing affairs. Promoted to partner in May 2023, Vini Cowden takes on infrastructure-related mandates, with close engagement with carbon capture, and Laura Sefton has recently been active on heat network and digital infrastructure projects. Kathryn Nolin also comes recommended, while Fenella Mason joined in September 2023 from Burness Paull LLP.

CMS has a ‘team of outstanding lawyers who drive to get deals done in a commercial manner’. The firm is well known for its expertise in cross-border matters and provides tailored advice on a wide variety of financial transactions, with a particular focus on project finance, fund financing, real estate financing, and derivatives mandates. Gordon Hay heads up the team and has a practice that largely concentrates on borrower instructions in the energy sector. Caryn Miller has recently acted for major clearing banks and real investment trust managers on complex refinancings, while Stephen Phillips is a trusted adviser to a host of trade bodies. Alan Fulton is a leveraged and acquisition finance specialist, and Jenny Allan is another key name for the firm’s energy sector clients. Darren Craig is prolific in the real estate and renewables space, while Michael Urquhart predominantly engages with the financing aspects of PFI projects. Fiona Henderson was promoted to partner in 2024 and has notable fintech and digital asset expertise.