Burness Paull LLP‘s wide-ranging transport practice spans litigation, financing, construction and projects in the aviation, rail, road and shipping sectors. The firm is noted for its ports and harbours expertise, handling shipping and maritime disputes, carriage of goods and vessel operation matters. The practice is under the joint leadership of Andrew Little and James Forbes. Little brings extensive experience across the full lifecycle of ports and harbour projects, while Forbes specialises in the delivery of large infrastructure projects, including roads and bridges. Richard Lockhart departed the firm in December 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- Ruth McNaught stood out for her responsiveness, practicality, and ability to work under time pressure. She was accessible throughout, quick to respond, and very clear in her advice. She also clearly has strong experience in this type of negotiation, which translated into high-quality input and a more efficient process overall. She was able to identify key issues quickly, focus discussions on what really mattered, and help move things forward without unnecessary back and forth. Overall, a very positive experience, and we would not hesitate to work with her again.
- We have worked with Burness Paull’s transport team on a specific matter, but the experience was very positive. We needed support on a grant negotiation with tight timelines, and the team was very helpful in keeping things moving and ensuring we met the required deadlines. They were responsive, practical, and easy to deal with throughout. Even in a relatively short engagement, they showed a good understanding of the commercial context and focused on providing clear, usable advice rather than overcomplicating matters. Overall, a very efficient and reliable team to work with.
- Direct advice. Knowledgeable partners and lawyers. Take a long-term approach to understanding my business. I trust them.
- Andrew Little gives practical advice. I trust him.
- Neil Smith has extensive experience in shipping cases, particularly those associated with the fishing and oil and gas industries. Perhaps as a consequence, he has acquired not only considerable legal knowledge in the area but also knowledge about the commercial realities of those sectors and the workings of the vessels that tend to be involved. The same is true of Andrew Forsyth. Both are noticeably energetic and capable of putting in considerable effort in short periods of time, a particular requirement in Scotland where a lot of work tends to be arrest work.
Key clients
- Volkswagen Group
- FirstGroup plc
- Arnold Clark Automobiles Limited
- John Clark (Holdings) Ltd
- Alexander Dennis Limited
- Forth Ports Limited
- CalMac Ferries Limited
- Port of Cromarty Firth
- Kishorn Port Limited
- Fraserburgh Harbour Commissioners
- Scrabster Harbour Trust
- Great Western Railway
- Avanti
- West Craigs Limited
- Bristow Helicopters Limited
- Hebridean Island Cruises
- Sustrans
- NorthStandard Limited
- Oceaneering International Inc.
- Port of Tilbury London Limited
Work highlights
Continued to advise FirstGroup entities on a number of strategically important matters.
Advised Port of Cromarty Firth on all aspects of its £110m phase 5 harbour development for a floating offshore wind farm.
Acted for Alexander Dennis in restructuring its operations and finding ways to continue to carry on its business in Scotland, in particular advising on a bespoke £4m 26-week furlough scheme, funded by the Scottish Government.
Lawyers
Next generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Andrew Little; James Forbes