James McMorrow > Harper Macleod LLP > Glasgow, United Kingdom > Lawyer Profile

Harper Macleod LLP acts for social housing clients in the charity sector, instructing the team to negotiate and assist with financial objectives. The practice also regularly advises on the full range of data protection and regulatory matters. James McMorrow and Derek Hogg jointly lead the team, with extensive experience in acting for charities on commercial, regulatory, and compliance mandates. With a focus on contentious cases, Jennifer Jack handles judicial review appeals against public bodies and regulators. Fiona Killen is another key contact in the group.

Praised for its ‘excellent knowledge and experience of public sector issues’, Harper Macleod LLP handles a wide range of project, employment, and governance matters for local authority clients. Commercial contracts and regulatory specialist James McMorrow jointly spearheads the team alongside Jennifer Jack, who leads on judicial reviews and disputes against regulatory bodies, in addition to representing local councils in major public inquiries. Partner Fiona Killen joined from Burness Paull LLP in June 2023, focusing on governance and constitutional advice and statutory appeals before the UK courts. Euan Pirie advises on high-profile procurements and engineering matters.

Commended for its ‘excellent knowledge of the sector’, Harper Macleod LLP’s parliamentary and public affairs team acts for a wide range of clients, including government bodies, civil servants and charities, and handles judicial reviews, appeals against public authorities and regulators, and wider public procurement issues. The firm is jointly led by accredited experts Jennifer Jack and James McMorrow. Fiona Killen, whose ‘knowledge of the technicality of public law and its development over time is second to none’, joined from Burness Paull LLP in June 2023, and Calum Gee is another core member of the team.

Praised for its ‘extremely professional’ service, Harper Macleod LLP is renowned for its extensive work with registered social landlords (RSLs). The dedicated housing team also acts for the Scottish Government, local authorities, and a range of private sector bodies. The group is under the joint leadership of Derek Hogg, who provides governance, constitutional and funding advice, and James McMorrow, who is experienced in corporate, regulatory, and public procurement matters. Collette Miller regularly supports RSLs with tenancy issues, shared ownership matters, and boundary disagreements. Euan Pirie concentrates on the construction aspects of new-build housing projects, and David McIndoe brings expertise in shared equity schemes.

Harper Macleod LLP is well positioned in the market to advise on maritime and shipping mandates, with a particular focus on port and harbour developments, financings and investments. The firm’s cross-disciplinary team attracts instructions from a host of government and local authorities, financial institutions, underwriters, and industry players. Tony Cameron helms the practice and has a wide corporate and commercial remit that encompasses the entire marine sector. Co-head Chris Kerr is largely focused on corporate matters and has recently advised on port investments and shipping and logistics acquisitions. James McMorrow specialises in subsidy control and procurement issues, whereas Ricardo Matteo is the go-to name in the team for financing instructions, and Euan Pirie is a PFI/PPP expert.

Acting for an impressive list of clients that includes Scottish government agencies, public sector bodies, and multinational corporates, Harper Macleod LLP is regularly sought out for its expertise in handling subsidy control and public procurement issues, with an increasing stream of instructions relating to the Subsidy Control Act 2022. The firm also has competition litigation expertise, as well as EU and CMA merger control experience. Donnie Munro oversees the practice, and James McMorrow is the main contact for public sector clients seeking competition law advice, particularly in the context of major infrastructure projects. Jennifer Jack is well regarded for her contentious, and Fiona Killen, who joined the team from Burness Paull LLP in June 2023, adds further experience working with public bodies. Wendy Richardson has also been notably active across a range of matters.