Harper Macleod LLP

harpermacleod.co.uk

Adam de Ste Croix

Adam is an experienced and highly capable litigator, with considerable expertise and a very successful track record in the firm’s civil and commercial litigation team. He collaborates with a wide variety of clients to devise sound strategies for the best commercial outcome in the most cost-effective way. Adam’s practice focuses on commercial and consumer contracts, professional negligence, commercial disputes (particularly, shareholders and directors disputes) and wills & executries. Additionally, he is experienced in acting for some of the firm’s largest public sector clients in property and environmental litigations. Adam is equally adept at personally appearing on behalf of his clients in the Sheriff Courts in high value and complex litigations, as well as dealing with litigations in the Court of Session (both the inner and outer house) instructing and working alongside members of the Scottish Bar in the commercial court and for judicial review. He is also experienced in successfully obtaining protective orders and diligence at short notice to protect commercial and personal interests. Adam, having previous experience as a small business operator, is comfortable advising small businesses and start-ups in the context of disputes.

Alexis Harper

Partner Alexis has more than 15 years’ experience practising exclusively in Family Law and is accredited by the Law Society as a specialist in this field. Alexis has worked at Harper Macleod for more than 10 years, and was promoted to Partner in 2016. Alexis deals with all aspects of family law including separation, divorce, child law matters including residence and contact disputes, claims upon the breakdown of a cohabitation, and the financial issues arising from the breakdown of a marriage, including maintenance, pension sharing, and the division of assets. Alexis is a member of the Family Law Association and has developed solid advocacy skills in the course of her career representing clients at Sheriff Courts across Scotland in relation to matters concerning their children and their finances. Alexis is particularly focused on cases involving financial provision on Divorce and has acted for clients who are involved in high-value divorce actions both at the Sheriff Court and the Court of Session involving individuals who have resided across Scotland. Alexis has delivered training and presentations both externally and internally relating to financial provision on separation and in particular in relation to the treatment of business interests on Divorce. These presentations have been delivered across the firm's offices. Alexis is a tutor on the family law elective at Strathclyde University and has tutored on the Professional Competence Course. She is also trained in Collaborative Practice and is a member of Consensus and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. Alexis is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Family Law. Alexis was also recently asked to sit on the appeal committee board for a charity in order to provide an independent view relating to a complaint against the organisation.

Amanda Masson

Partner Amanda has specialised in Family Law for the majority of my career and she is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland in Family Law, Child Law and Family Mediation. Her passion lies in guiding clients through difficult and stressful situations, helping them transition towards a more positive future. Recognizing that not all cases are straightforward, Amanda strives to enable clients to choose the most appropriate process for their unique circumstances. When court involvement is necessary, she aims to conduct proceedings efficiently and with sound judgment, always mindful of the financial and emotional costs involved. Amanda's practice is diverse and wide-ranging. She has extensive experience in handling complex high-value financial provision cases in both the Court of Session and Sheriff Courts. Additionally, she takes great pride in managing children's cases, including those involving relocation, residence, and contact disputes. In 2016, Amanda launched Harper Macleod’s Modern Families Initiative, designed to assist clients in creating families through adoption, donor conception, or surrogacy. The nuances of parental rights and the complexity of related legislation can be daunting. As a knowledgeable, experienced, and supportive advisor, Amanda enjoys assisting clients in navigating the intricacies of child law and fertility law as smoothly as possible. Amanda is regularly invited to speak at professional conferences and frequently contributes to professional publications, including Green’s Family Law Bulletin and the Journal of the Law Society of Scotland.

Amy Dickson

Partner Amy is a partner in our Personal Injury & Reparation team. She is an experienced Personal Injury solicitor and delivers advice and assistance to insurer and individual clients in relation to pursuer and defender cases. Amy has significant experience in relation to serious injury cases, wrongful death cases, medical negligence cases, credit hire and fraudulent claims. She carries out regular appearance work in relation to actions raised in Sheriff Courts throughout Scotland, including the All Scotland Personal Injury Court and the Court of Session. Amy has also appeared frequently before Sheriff Principals in relation to Appeal cases. Amy provides frequent training sessions to clients and third-party organisations and provides opinions on prospects of success and valuations for pre-litigation and post-litigation cases. Amy runs our internal technical liability clinic for solicitors and paralegals in order to ensure we obtain a favourable, fair and just outcome for clients. Amy also coordinates the Mexico country desk, part of Harper Macleod’s international offering. Amy is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Personal Injury.

Amy Mackenzie

Partner Amy specialises in advising family owned businesses and owner-managed businesses, and has experience in advising business owners in relation to a variety of corporate and commercial work including acquisitions and disposals, and shareholder and partnership arrangements, on a wide range of transactions. Amy acts as lead legal adviser on transactions, where she maintains the client relationship, and project manages a multi-disciplinary team (including our Corporate, Employment, Property, Intellectual Property, Banking and Dispute Resolution teams, together with the client’s external financial and tax advisers) to meet transaction deadlines. Recent examples of Amy’s experience include: lead adviser to a private equity backed dental acquirer based in England, in relation to the acquisition by the client of multiple dental practices across Scotland. Amy’s relationship with this client has proven to be a key factor in this consolidator appointing Harper Macleod as its sole legal adviser on its acquisitions in Scotland; lead adviser to a family owned group of companies within the waste management sector on all corporate and commercial matters; and lead adviser to a variety of businesses in the marine economy, fintech, financial services and transport and logistics industries on investment, complex succession planning and transfer of ownership matters. In addition to managing her legal workload, Amy has initiated and developed a successful business development initiative, and so also plays an important role in our Corporate team in terms of business generation. Amy is fluent in Spanish, and will assist colleagues acting on behalf of Spanish speaking clients as and when required. Amy was awarded “Highly Commended” in the Rising Star of the Year category at the Scottish Legal Awards 2019 and she is recommended in Corporate & Commercial by independent legal directory, The Legal 500.

Andrew MacKenzie

Partner Andrew deals with a wide variety of civil and commercial disputes in the Sheriff Court and Court of Session. He provides advice and representation in relation to banking and finance disputes, construction disputes, contractual disputes and energy disputes. Andrew has particular expertise in banking litigation, and acted for the successful pursuer in the landmark case Cooper v Bank of Scotland [2014] CSOH 16. Andrew's interests in banking litigation means he is an important member of the firm's civil fraud team, deploying his advocacy skills to obtain and defend interim orders and interim diligence in order to protect his client's assets and interests. Andrew undertakes a number of complex shareholder and corporate disputes, including most recently, leading his clients to success in the diversion of corporate funds case of Mohammad Aqeel Alam and Tahir Shah, on behalf of ICU (Europe) Ltd against (First) Saquib Ibrahim and (Second) ICU (Secure) Ltd. He also regularly advises clients in relation to alternative methods of dispute resolution, and has acted in a number of successful mediations.

Andrew Upton

Partner Andrew advises clients across both public and private sectors in relation to all litigious matters. His experience incorporates litigation at Sheriff Court and Court of Session level, principally contractual and property disputes, as well as actions at both the Scottish Land Court and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland. Andrew regularly represents clients in the Sheriff Courts throughout Scotland, including Commercial Actions, and at the Lands Tribunal for Scotland and Scottish Land Court. Through his experience in complex litigations, Andrew has developed forensic analytical skills, reviewing substantial volumes of documents and preparing reports on relevant facts, legal issues and prospects of success. He also has experience representing clients in quasi-judicial proceedings, including making written and oral representations to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland and various disciplinary panels of regulatory bodies. Recent work highlights include: Advising Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority in their successful appeal to the Sheriff Appeal Court against a decision to quash an Access Rights Enforcement Notice under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 (reported case: Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority v Renyana Stahl Anstalt, 2017 S.L.T. (Sh Ct) 138), and the subsequent appeal to the Inner House of the Court of Session (reported case: Renyana Stahl Anstalt v Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, 2018 S.L.T. 331). Successfully advising and representing Inverclyde Council in an appeal to the Sheriff Principal on the validity of pre-irritancy notices (reported case: Inverclyde Council v Prince of Wales Bar, 2015 Hous. L.R. 14). Advising Scottish Natural Heritage in their successful defense of an appeal to the Scottish Land Court by an owner of fishing rights concerning their refusal of consent to repair and replacement of croys and revetments in the River Tummel (reported case: Tummel Valley Leisure Limited v Scottish Natural Heritage, 2015 S.L.T. (Land Ct.) 117).

Andrew Maxwell

Senior Solicitor Andrew can provide advice to employers and employees on all aspects of employment law including TUPE, restructuring and business reorganisation, redundancy, unfair dismissal, employment status, equal pay, discrimination generally, discrimination arising from disability, complex disciplinary and grievance process and settlement agreements on a frequent basis. Additionally Andrew has significant experience of drafting and revising bespoke employee-related documentation such as contracts of employment, HR policies and procedures, and employee handbooks specifically tailored to the needs of individual clients taking into account best practice and each organisations own unique culture. Andrew has successfully delivered training on employment related matters both in-house and externally to clients, including collective consultation, disciplinary investigations, absence management, mediation and discrimination. Andrew’s knowledge, experience and relatable manner mean he can advise companies and individuals at any level.

Andrew Kerr

Partner Andrew provides advice to clients on a range of commercial real estate transactions including purchases and sales for investors, SMEs and other owner-occupiers; advising lenders and borrowers on re-banking, securities and the related due diligence; and a wide range of matters relating to the grant and operation of commercial leases. Previous experience includes acting for investors in the acquisition, development, and leasing of commercial properties, including liaising with the clients, their accountants, agents and other advisors; advising an investor in the refinancing of their property portfolio; and working with and advising insolvency practitioners in connection with the property aspects of transactions.

Andrew Hunter

Partner Andrew is the lead partner of the Licensing team and is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Liquor Licensing Law. He is the principal contact for the firm's liquor licensing clients, which include Belhaven Brewery Company Limited, Lidl UK GmbH and BP Oil UK Limited. His role involves providing legal advice to clients on liquor licensing, betting and gaming licensing, and civic government licensing matters. He attends the licensing boards on behalf of clients throughout Scotland. Andrew is also a Partner in the Insolvency team, who previously won the prestigious "Insolvency Team of the Year" award at the Law Awards of Scotland and “Regional Insolvency Team of Year” at the Insolvency and Rescue Awards. His role involves providing advice to clients on debt recovery and insolvency matters, both at personal and corporate level. This includes initial insolvency work such as sequestration petitions, petitions for liquidation and appointment of administrators as well as acting for trustees, liquidators and administrators in post insolvency recovery work. Andrew has been a part time tutor in Civil Procedure at the University of Glasgow Diploma in Legal Practice since 2010.

Ashley Fleming

Partner Ashley specialises in immigration, asylum and nationality law and has extensive experience advising businesses and individuals on all aspects of UK immigration law having worked in this area since 2005. She is dual qualified in Scotland and England & Wales. Ashley regularly acts for businesses, providing strategic advice to corporate clients to assist with their business planning, most recently in relation to Brexit and sponsorship under the skilled worker route. She also represents clients in defending civil penalty notices for allegedly employing illegal workers. Ashley has significant experience of working with high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs. She also has particular expertise in obtaining endorsements for clients under the Global Talent Visa scheme. Ashley regularly assists clients with their family-based applications, EU Settlement Scheme applications and applications for naturalisation. She is often instructed to provide expert reports for the courts in care proceedings and acts for local authorities, providing advice and training in relation to children and young persons in care. In addition to her advisory work, Ashley is a skilled litigator, with experience of litigating cases at all levels from the First Tier Tribunal to the Court of Justice of the EU. Ashley also has a particular interest in complex EU law and recently acted for a national charity in a successful judicial review challenge of Home Office Covid-19 guidance which resulted in a positive change to government policy guidance. Ashley is a regular trainer for the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association and writes on developments in immigration law and is a member of the Law Society of England and Wales Immigration Law Committee.

Bill Stark

Bill is a debt and asset recovery consultant, working within Harper Macleod’s highly-rated debt and asset recovery team. Bill is seen as one of the leading practitioners in the field of debt and asset recovery in Scotland. He combines a deep understanding of the law with commercial awareness and delivery, and works hand-in-hand with clients to design and deliver effective working processes to maximise recovery. His application of technology and use of management information tools means he is able to provide clients with real-time reporting and evaluation. By taking this approach, he ensures the routes taken to recover debt and assets are as effective as possible. His areas of speciality cover all debtor/creditor positions across the public and private sectors, including B2B/B2C commercial debt, consumer credit, debt, asset finance, invoice finance and commercial property Bill is also an accomplished trainer, bringing together his legal knowledge and extensive hands-on experience, providing clients with practical and anticipatory debt recovery measures before reaching legal proceedings. He is also experienced in delivering internal credit management reviews for clients across a wide range of sectors.

Bruce Caldow

Partner Bruce specialises in employment law and heads the firm's employment law practice. As a Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialist, Bruce advises in relation to both contentious and non-contentious matters, acting primarily for employers along with executive and senior-level employees, including in disputes before the Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunal. Bruce advises on all aspects of employment law across each of the public, private and third sectors, with Bruce regularly working with clients to create and apply policy, to make decisions about risk management, with technically astute advice focussed on practical delivery of achieving objectives. Bruce’s practice extends beyond Scotland with Bruce regularly advising our clients who have UK-wide operations and beyond. Equalities advice is also a key feature of Bruce's practice, advising clients on compliance, culture and resolution of contentious issues, not only within the workplace but more widely, also in relation to property, goods and services. Business immigration is an increasing area of Bruce’s practice with clients recently including businesses and individuals alike seeking Bruce’s guidance and support through planning and implementing recruitment or leave to remain issues. Bruce edits sections on Employment Precedents for Sweet & Maxwell and authors Lexis Nexis PSL section on the Public Sector Equality Duty – Scotland. Bruce also leads the firm’s sports law practice. In this role Bruce advises the firm’s many sports clients in relation to regulatory, disciplinary and governance matters. Clients include Scottish Rugby, for whom Bruce is the national team's lawyer, sportscotland, Scottish Swimming and Scottish Gymnastics Association. Bruce is a chairman for the SFA judicial panel and regularly chairs judicial and appellate panels further to the judicial protocol. Bruce writes regularly on sport and the law in a number of publications and is member of the editorial board of the leading publication "Sports Law Administration and Practice". Bruce has previously undertaken lengthy secondments assisting In-House Legal Counsel to World Rugby. Bruce also coordinates the India country desk, part of Harper Macleod’s international offering.

Calum MacLeod

Partner Calum is a Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist in Crofting Law and advises clients on a wide range of rural property work, including crofting, agricultural tenancies, forestry purchases and sales, farm purchases, community group purchases, land reform and other rural property matters. Based in our Inverness office, he has also acted for developers and landowners in a number of renewable energy projects and he has significant experience in community renewables projects. Calum has particular expertise as a crofting lawyer and has advised both crofters and landowners on a variety of crofting law matters including applications to the Crofting Commission and the Land Court. He has advised in particular on renewables projects on croftland. Calum also has an interest in Land Reform. He has advised clients across the Highlands and Islands including the Crofting Counties of Inverness-shire, Ross-shire, Argyll, Caithness and Sutherland. Originally from the Isle of Skye, Calum is a fluent Gaelic speaker and has spoken on TV, radio and at conferences on land reform, renewables and crofting law.

Calum Gee

Partner Calum is a member of the dispute resolution team in Edinburgh. Calum’s principal areas of practice are Public and Administrative law (including contentious Data Protection, Procurement, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Regulatory Law, Statutory Appeals and Planning and Environmental Law). Calum has considerable experience representing public and private sector clients in the Court of Session (including all aspects of Judicial Review), Sheriff Court and other dispute resolution settings. Calum regularly advises clients on public, regulatory and constitutional law issues and reflects his practical litigation experience in his advice to clients on statutory/regulatory obligations and wider reputation management. Calum provides advice to clients on legislation and statutory interpretation, the powers and duties of public bodies, good corporate governance and getting decisions right first time. Calum also represents clients in situations when decision-making is questioned, whether during complaints processes or investigations, or at tribunals, courts or public inquiries. Calum’s expertise spans challenges relating to competition /state aid/ procurement, planning/ environmental/ climate change issues, data protection & information law, education matters, looked-after children/ vulnerable adults/ homeless accommodation, and other areas where decisions are made that affect individuals, businesses and communities. Applying a thorough understanding of the relevant legislative/ regulatory/ procedural frameworks and how to identify and address areas susceptible to challenge. Calum is acutely aware of the complex and politically sensitive issues affecting those engaged in public sector disputes and tailors his advice accordingly. Calum always works with clients to resolve their disputes in the most cost effective and efficient manner possible; striving to reach practical solutions where possible.

Caroline Summers

Partner Caroline specialises in all aspects of commercial property work. She has unique client insight and experience of development work from a secondment to a major UK developer. Caroline has specific expertise in the following areas:- joint venture agreements, development management agreements and agreements for lease investment purchases and sales leases (acting on behalf of tenant and landlord) extensive corporate support experience in the property aspects of corporate transactions including handling the Scottish property aspects of cross border transactions auction work securities Caroline has also worked closely with public sector bodies, in particular local enterprise companies and councils in major property based initiatives. Recent experience includes advising on the acquisition and development of a flagship office headquarters building in Glasgow, dealing with all Scottish lease work for a major high street retailer and acting for an institutional landlord in sales, acquisitions and lettings of industrial and retail property. Caroline is well respected by her peers and has acted for other law firms in their commercial property matters. She is a regular speaker at seminars on commercial property and its various specialisms.

Catriona Kemp

Partner Catriona is experienced in advising on infrastructure projects throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK. She has acted for private sector partners delivering new facilities as sponsors, investors, facilities management contractors and construction contractors and for public sector clients. She has been actively involved advising public and private sector clients in relation to the hub initiative and the NPD Model in Scotland. She also advises banks and other senior lenders and borrowers on the financing of major projects throughout the UK. She regularly advises clients in relation to a variety of operational matters in established projects. Catriona has also has much experience in advising on student accommodation projects and has provided advice to clients in relation to a variety of different project models. Catriona leads the Group’s involvement in PPP secondary market deals. As well as advising investors and sponsors on such disposals and acquisitions, she also provides advice where necessary on company re-structuring in order to effect such disposals. She has also advised senior funders on both disposals of their senior debt and the issues arising where investors are disposing of their investments. More recently Catriona has also become involved in City Region Deals.

Chris Kerr

Partner Chris was named as one of The Lawyer’s Hot 100 lawyers in 2020 – one of only two from Scottish headquartered firms. Chris primarily advises family-owned and owner-managed businesses based throughout Scotland, including many with business interests in a number of other jurisdictions. Recent work and deals include acting for a number of well-known Scottish based businesses on a range of matters including in relation to mergers, acquisitions, disposals, and business and owner succession planning. Sectors in which Chris has been active and has a particular interest are energy, marine economy, transport and healthcare. For a number of years, Chris has been involved with employee-owned businesses and transitions for which The Legal 500 recognises he is “particularly knowledgable about the Scottish employee ownership market”. Chris is the Lead Partner for our Highlands, Islands & Moray operation. He has in the past, participated in the Entrepreneurship course run by the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Strathclyde, tutored at the Glasgow Graduate Law School in Company and Commercial Law on the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, and lectured in Company Law at Inverness College. Chris has also held non-executive director appointments on the board of two Highland-based companies. Chris also coordinates the Nordics desk, part of Harper Macleod’s international offering.

Chris Noble

Partner Chris is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Commercial Leasing. He has a broad commercial property practice, operating in the retail, leisure, healthcare and investment sectors. He regularly deals with lease acquisitions and lease management work for numerous tenant occupiers; and the acquisition, asset management and disposal of investment properties. Chris also has extensive experience in all aspects of conveyancing and property legal work including corporate support and banking/security matters, in both Scottish and cross-border transactions.

Christina Wason

Christina is an experienced personal injury solicitor, who primarily deals with advising individuals in relation to pursuing claims and court actions. She has extensive experience in dealing with employers’ liability, public liability, road traffic, asbestos-related disease and medical negligence cases. She has also dealt with defender work in the past, acting for some of the UK’s largest insurance companies. She is therefore familiar with the tactics employed by both sides and uses this knowledge and experience to obtain the best possible results for her clients. Christina regularly appears in sheriff courts throughout Scotland, including the All Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court in Edinburgh and has dealt with several high value cases, a number of which have settled for six-figure sums.

Collette Miller

Partner Collette provides advice and assistance to many Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), local authorities and other public bodies in Scotland, particularly in relation to governance, regulatory and constitutional issues. She regularly advises clients in relation to the application of legislative developments and the development and implementation of policy, as well as general advisory work. Collette undertakes a range of property, finance and contract work for the firm’s housing and public sector clients on a day-to-day basis. She is also the lead adviser to the firm’s housing and public sector clients on consumer credit-related issues and compliance with applicable requirements of the Financial Conduct Authority. Collette is experienced in advising on a wide range of local authority matters, including housing, public procurement, commercial conveyancing, contractual issues and litigation. Collette has experience of supporting local authorities with the establishment of shared services and alternative business structures.

Craig McKerracher

Partner Craig is a Partner in our award winning Corporate, Commercial & Regulatory team advising on the full spectrum of private company Corporate/M&A activity servicing a broad mix of owner managed businesses. Craig divides his time between advising clients in the West of Scotland and the Highlands and Islands, with time spent regularly in our Inverness and Lerwick offices. Craig jointly heads up the firm’s Healthcare Sector Group. He has a particular specialism in acting for veterinary practices, and leads the team acting regularly in relation to the sale of veterinary practices to Bristol-based IVC Evidensia, a private equity backed veterinary consolidator that is now regarded as Europe’s leading veterinary care provider based across 11 countries with more than 1,400 clinics and employing 19,000 staff. Craig also oversees the work done by the firm for Cheltenham-based Portman Healthcare, a private equity backed dental consolidator which has been expanding its presence in Scotland over the last few years. Our team has helped them expand their footprint to 139 dental practices (including 16 orthodontic clinics) across the UK, with over 600,000 patients registered with their practices. As part of the firm’s market leading Sports law practice, Craig has also developed a niche in advising Scottish sports governing bodies on constitutional matters, including attending their AGMs to provide procedural legal advice. As part of the firm's market leading Sports law practice, Craig has also developed a niche in advising a number of Scottish sports governing bodies on constitutional matters, including attending their AGMs to provide procedural legal advice. Craig is the co-ordinating tutor on the Company Law elective course which forms part of the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the Centre for Professional Legal Studies at the University of Strathclyde.

David Kerr

Partner David heads Harper Macleod's Dispute Resolution team in Glasgow, leading on a wide range of commercial and public law disputes with a particular focus on tax, banking and financial services, construction, professional negligence and shareholder/corporate disputes. David's core practice areas makes him an invaluable member of the civil fraud team, both acting for clients to pursue claims arising out of dishonest behaviour or defending allegations of financial impropriety. He is regularly instructed at short notice to successfully obtain interim court orders to protect his clients' assets and interests pending the resolution of the dispute. David regularly represents clients in the Court of Session, First-tier and Upper Tax Tribunals and in Sheriff Courts across Scotland. David has additional degrees in Accountancy and IT which set him apart in leading many of the firm's most technically detailed and high value fraud, construction and commercial litigations.

David McIndoe

Partner David is highly experienced in a wide range of private client work, including house purchase and house sale, re-mortgage, wills, trusts and executry work. He is the lead partner for the firm’s Residential Property, House Builder and Estate Agency team throughout Scotland and has experience of purchase and sale of high value properties, acquiring sites, placing Deed of Condition and selling individual properties as part of a bespoke plot sale process. David also acts for a number of property investors, developers and builders both acquiring stock through portfolio acquisitions and disposal of properties on the open market. David is involved in conveyancing matters for the firm’s extensive social housing clients, including Right to Buy, Shared Ownership, and the various Shared Equity schemes under LIFT. He has experience in advising lending institutions and housing associations on large scale finance facilities. He also acts for the Scottish Government on all Shared Equity matters and has been the lead partner in the Scottish Government’s shared equity schemes since 2008, which has involved thousands of property transactions.

David Bone

Senior Partner David has carried out the legal work for developers, landowners or planning authorities on some of Scotland's largest renewable developments including Windy Standard (1996), Novar (1997), Beinn Ghlas (1999), Deucheran Hill (2001), Bowbeat (2002), Crystal Rig (2004), Causeymire (2004), Rothes (2005), Paul's Hill (2006), Steven's Croft (2007), Dalswinton (2008), Green Knowes (2008), North Rhins (2010), Crystal Rig Extension (2010), Mark Hill (2011), Rosehall (2012), Rothes II (2013),Mid Hill (2014), Crystal Rig III (2016) and Brockloch Rig (2017). He also acquired the Afton, Neilston and Solwaybank wind farms for investors and worked on the installation of pv panels on over 500 properties for Knowes and Berwickshire Housing Assocs. The work of David and his team`s has contributed over three gigawatts of built capacity to Scotland's renewable energy targets. He has also assisted on wind, solar and consultancy projects in England, Wales, N. Ireland, France, Chile and Turkey. David is also the lead Partner for Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) in their roll-out of large parts of the National Forest Estate for wind and hydro projects. He acted as legal adviser and company secretary to the Scottish Renewables Forum from 1999 to 2020 (seeing the organisation grow to over 300 members and a position as the leading forum for the Renewables’ industry in Scotland). He has been a non executive director of the Natural Power Consultants since 2008, a member of Scottish Renewables` Wind Working Group and Economics and Markets Working Group, has contributed a host of articles to Industry magazines and spoken at, and chaired, numerous industry conferences, including a series of webinars on the lead-up to COP26, 12 SHREC events, 4 WS Energy conference events, talks at Edinburgh and Stirling Universities and running a successful renewable energy workshop at Glasgow University over 4 years. He as previously described by The Scotsman newspaper as ‘the man acknowledged as Scotland’s authority on renewable energy law’ and he won the prestigious Partner of the Year Award at previous Scottish Legal Awards for his work in Renewable Energy and led the Harper Macleod team to the Energy Team of the Year title at the 2011, 2013 and 2016 Scottish Legal Awards. David writes and speaks extensively on renewable energy in Scotland, including a series of annual reviews on developments in the sector: 2018: Renewables Trump the naysayers as momentum swings in Scotland 2017: A rollercoaster year for renewables in Scotland 2016: A Power Struggle 2015: Can Scotland still drive a renewable future? 2014: Scotland’s renewable energy: what way will the wind blow next?

David Bell

Partner David is a Law society of Scotland Accredited Specialist in Commercial Leasing and heads up our Landlord and Tenant team, as well as having extensive experience in dealing with high value investment purchases and sales. David’s work includes: Landlord/Tenant; Investment purchases and sales; Telecoms related property advice; Purchases/sales for SIPPs and SSASs; and Estate management advice. High profile transactions include: The sale of Princes Square Speciality Shopping Centre, Glasgow and the adjoining Guildhall office development on behalf of Clerical Medical Investment Group Limited and Britel Fund Trustees Limited (£107m). The acquisition of the Cerium Building, Glasgow on behalf of Rreef Investment GmbH (£21m). The acquisition of Princes House, Glasgow on behalf of HansaInvest Hanseatische Investment GmbH (£16.6m). The sale of Thistle Marches Shopping Centre, Stirling. The purchase of Quartermile 2 office development, Edinburgh for AFIAA Scotland AG (£23m). The acquisition and sale of a large number of high value investment properties for clients of CBRE Global Investors Limited.

Derek Hogg

Partner Derek acts on behalf of many registered social landlords (RSLs), local authorities and other public bodies in Scotland with particular emphasis on governance, regulatory and constitutional advice and property and funding work. Derek regularly advises clients in relation to governance and constitutional matters, the application of legislative developments and the development and implementation of policy, as well as general advisory work. He is also very active in relation to RSL funding work, including having acted for the issuers in the vast majority of private placements involving Scottish RSLs in recent years. He also has a breadth of experience in acting for clients on the management, acquisition and disposal of large housing portfolios which is unrivalled in Scotland. Derek led the legal team which successfully delivered the largest ever housing transfer in the UK – the transfer of 80,000 houses from Glasgow City Council to Glasgow Housing Association (GHA). Derek also acted as lead external solicitor to GHA over an eight year period in connection with its programme of second stage transfers which ultimately successfully delivered the transfer of circa. 20,000 houses by way of 35 separate transfers. Derek also has over 25 years of mainstream commercial property experience and continues to act for a number of property investors and developers, including in relation to innovative funding structures to deliver affordable housing. He is a former member of the committees of management of Hillcrest, Old Town and Trust Housing Associations, and is also qualified to act as a solicitor in England and Wales. He has also served as a Chairperson member of the Private Rented Housing Panel/Homeowners Housing Panel, and was also a contributing editor to the Thomson Reuters’ Scottish Lawyer’s Factbook on residential tenancies. Derek is a regular speaker at seminars and workshops run by the firm and by external organisations.

Donald Munro

Partner Donald Munro predominantly deals with clients in the family owned/owner managed sector. He advises on matters corporate including providing advice on a wide range of corporate and M&A transactions, statute and regulation, corporate governance and compliance and succession planning. Donald's contribution to the family owned business sector was recognised at The Scottish Family Business Awards (2012) where he was awarded the Chairman's Award in recognition of creating one of the first university courses in the UK dealing with family business and the law. Harper Macleod’s Corporate team was awarded "Corporate Firm of the Year" at the Law Awards of Scotland 2009 and Donald was also nominated for "Corporate Lawyer of the Year" at the same awards in 2007. Check some of the deals Donald and his team have been involved in at our up-to-date corporate deals table. Donald is also involved in post graduate education. He is course author and co-ordinator for both the Business and Financial Awareness and Family Business courses at the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at Strathclyde University.

E-Ming Fong

Partner E-Ming is a partner in our Dispute Resolution Department, specialising in all aspects of general commercial litigation. Her particular specialism is in civil fraud. E-Ming is regularly instructed to help resolve commercial disputes for her clients, either by way of negotiation or through litigation. E-Ming is particularly adept at obtaining interim urgent orders from the courts across Scotland in order to protect her clients' assets and interests swiftly and, where possible, without notice. She has appeared in the Sheriff Courts and in the Court of Session (Outer House, Inner House and also in the Commercial Courts). She has extensive experience in respect of breach of contract claims, major and complex fraud, professional negligence claims, commercial property disputes and intellectual property disputes. E-Ming’s clients range from major financial institutions and institutional landlords, through to SMEs and individuals. Her caseload is varied but usually involves complex and high value disputes, acting for both pursuers and defenders. Her cases often require the instruction of experts in order to assist the court, whether those experts be from the engineering, scientific or professional fields. She also combines her industry-wide experience in reputation management when advising clients on all aspects of dispute resolution. E-Ming leads the firm’s civil fraud team and she is an active and longstanding Scottish member of the International Fraud Group. The IFG is a network of 32 legal firms covering 54 key jurisdictions. The IFG meets bi-annually in London and across the international network in order to build global ties and share local knowledge in asset tracking and fraud disruption. She is also a member of the Fraud Womens Network.

Eilidh Crawford

Associate Eilidh is part of the Debt & Asset Recovery team, primarily dealing with Insolvency matters. She provides advice and assistance on matters such as sequestrations, liquidations, restoration of companies and debt recovery. Her clients include private individuals, creditors, banks, companies and insolvency practitioners. In addition, she appears on behalf of housing association clients and private landlords who raise court and tribunal actions for recovery of possession of property and rental arrears. Eilidh regularly appears in Sheriff Courts and Tribunals throughout Scotland on behalf of Pursuers and Defenders to conduct procedural hearings and proofs in simple procedure claims, ordinary cause actions and summary applications. Upon successfully obtaining Decree, Eilidh advises on a wide range of enforcement methods. She regularly instructs and assists Counsel in Sheriff Court and Court of Session actions. Eilidh is a tutor on the Civil Litigation course for the Diploma in Legal Practice at The University of Glasgow and sits on the committee for the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC) New Crew network.

Euan Bowie

Euan acts for clients in a range of commercial property matters. He specialises in providing advice on commercial purchases and sales, commercial leasing for both landlords and tenants and the property aspects of corporate transactions. Euan also advises housebuilders on various matters in connection with housing developments, including site acquisition, management, deeds of conditions, and infrastructure. He has particular experience in the sale of affordable housing sites to public and private sector housing providers.

Euan Pirie

Partner Euan is head of our Infrastructure & Projects team, a key member of our Construction & Engineering Group and is one of Scotland’s most experienced construction, engineering and infrastructure lawyers. He a Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialist in Construction Law. Euan has successfully advised both public and private sector clients on complex and high value construction, engineering and infrastructure projects for more than 25 years. Euan’s recent track record covers projects in the following key sectors: Scottish Government’s hub initiative projects – Euan has advised on hub projects continuously since the launch of the initiative in 2009. He has been lead adviser on 12 signed hub DBFM contracts (including first two such projects to reach financial close in Scotland) and 31 signed hub DBDA contracts, with a combined works value of £797.5million. Major roads and other transport projects, including the £500 million M8 M73 M74 Motorways Improvement Project, the £745 million AWPR Project, the £590 million A465 project and the £300 million Aberdeen Harbour Expansion Project. Multiple construction contracts for the provision of affordable homes, including the largest residential Passivhaus project in Scotland, the largest social housing development delivered using exclusively modular construction technologies and Scotland’s first purpose built “village” development intended for occupation solely by post graduate students. Other significant energy efficiency led projects including the citywide replacement of street lighting in Edinburgh, a street lighting project for Glasgow city centre and a new community and education campus to be constructed to Passivhaus standards (likely to be Scotland’s largest Passivhaus construction project). Extensive involvement in advising on multiple contract management issues under operational PFI and PPP projects, including in relation to three of Scotland’s largest acute hospitals. Advising on the first two facilities management contracts procured in Scotland using the new nec 4 FMC (one of which relates to the Scotland wide estate of a major Scottish Public Body and is valued at c£75 million over the 5 year service period). Euan has extensive knowledge of and is an expert in advising on negotiation of contracts procured under all major industry standard forms including hub DBDA, SBCC, JCT, nec, FIDIC and MF/1. He also regularly advises on PFI/PPP project agreements, development agreements and joint venture agreements.

Fiona Strang

Associate Fiona is an associate who works across both our Corporate and Restructuring and Insolvency teams. Fiona specialises in advising family-owned and owner-managed businesses, dealing with the full spectrum of corporate work including mergers, acquisitions and disposals, franchise re-sales, the implementation of shareholders’ agreements, partnership agreements, joint ventures, reductions of share capital, share buybacks, employee incentive schemes, group restructuring exercises and corporate advice specific to succession planning. As part of her corporate restructuring and insolvency law practice Fiona assists Gordon Hollerin in advising administrators, liquidators and creditors on restructuring and insolvency processes, directors of their duties and obligations in insolvency situations as well as advising on pre-pack administrations.

Gordon Hollerin

Partner Gordon has over 30 years’ restructuring, corporate recovery and insolvency experience. He advises banks and other lending institutions, insolvency practitioners and directors in relation to strategies to resolve issues arising from companies in financial distress. Gordon is also Head of International leading Harper Macleod’s international team, working with clients and law firms across the globe, and coordinates the South Africa and USA desks, as part of Harper Macleod’s international offering. Gordon is a Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist in Insolvency Law. He is also co-chair of the International Bar Association’s Insolvency Section Reorganisations and Workouts Group.

Graeme Nisbet

Partner Graeme is Head of our Rural Team and Project Partner for a number of the firm’s key clients including Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), NatureScot, Scottish Forestry and Cairngorms National Park Authority. He and his 15-strong Rural Team are not only specialists in the law but have a deep understanding of the commercial opportunities which arise in Scotland’s thriving modern rural communities – acting for estate, farming and woodland owners, including private landowners and tenants, public bodies and community groups. As Project Partner, Graeme has worked with FLS since 2008, providing advice on a variety of sensitive and/or strategic matters in addition to leading the team of solicitors providing property and land management advice to FLS. Graeme represents a wide range of rural landowners and tenants advising on acquisitions and disposals, leases, land management agreements, farm-based AD plants, natural capital investments and carbon capture agreements. In addition, Graeme also remains Client Relationship Partner for a number of commercial clients with large property portfolios, providing advice on property matters, including acquisitions, disposals, development, leasing, estate management and property finance.

Heather Calderwood

Partner Heather has experience in a variety of civil litigation including road traffic, medical negligence, credit hire, employer liability, public liability and beauty claims. Heather specialises in complex personal injury reparation involving catastrophic injuries, fatalities, fraudulent claims, indemnity disputes, liability disputes and medical negligence. In this role, Heather acts for a variety of insurance companies, private individuals and private companies in connection with litigated and non-litigated claims and regularly appears in Sheriff Courts throughout Scotland and handles a wide range of cases in the Court of Session. Heather regularly provides training for clients' on a variety of issues including developments in case law and aspects of Scottish court procedure. Accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Personal Injury, Heather has experience in a variety of civil litigation and specialises in complex personal injury reparation involving catastrophic injuries and fatalities.

Ian Davidson

Partner Ian is a partner in our Elgin office with a wide range of experience in general practice in the Moray area since moving there from Edinburgh in 1992. He is a former partner of well-known local firm Wink & Mackenzie which joined forces with Harper Macleod in September 2019. Ian specialises in private client work – house purchase and sale, powers of attorney, wills and succession planning and executry administration. He also has wide experience in residential estate agency matters. Over the years Ian has acted for a number of local property developers in site acquisition, marketing and sale of residential properties. Ian also advises many local family businesses and deals with a range of commercial conveyancing and leasing work. He also acts for a number of local sports clubs, voluntary organisations and charities.

Jacqueline Leslie

Partner Jacqueline is an experienced private client lawyer and a Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist in Trust Law, She specialises in Wills inheritance tax planning and the administration of estates. She has a particular interest in the creation, administration and winding up of all types of trust, including personal injury trusts. Jacqueline also prepares financial and welfare powers of attorney for clients and acts as Financial Guardian or Attorney for clients where required. Jacqueline’s thorough understanding of the law in this area and her knowledge of her clients’ circumstances allow her to give advice tailored to their needs. Jacqueline is also member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), the worldwide professional association for practitioners dealing with family inheritance and succession planning. Jacqueline is a member of the Law Society of Scotland panel which considers applications for accreditation.

Jacqui Fraser

Partner Jacqui has over 25 years’ experience of dealing with all aspects of property finance and commercial property transactions. She is also one of the main contacts for the firm’s banking clients for general banking advice, lending and secured recoveries. Jacqui leads on commercial property finance within the Banking & Finance team, advising on property backed security documentation for both banks and financial institutions and borrower clients across a wide range of industry sectors including healthcare, renewables, food and drink and agriculture. She is particularly valued by clients for her transaction management, ensuring the desired timescales and outcomes are delivered. Jacqui is regularly involved in acting on the Scots Law aspects of multi jurisdictional transactions both for funders and large corporate clients. She has also drafted and updated standard form lending and security documentation for many lenders operating in the UK market.

James MacGregor

Partner James is a partner in our corporate team, whose practice regularly deals with high value complex corporate transactions. He regularly advises family businesses and owner managers on the sale of their businesses and acquirers of such businesses across a range of sectors. He has wide experience of transactional corporate matters focusing on mergers & acquisitions (M&A) and disposals as well as investments (including venture capital transactions), shareholder arrangements, joint ventures, corporate reorganisations, demergers and succession planning. Examples of deals which James has advised on include: Acting for Halfords on the acquisition of Scottish-based family owned McConechy's Tyre Service in a deal comprising of 330 skilled employees across 60 sites in Scotland and the North of England. Acting for the Tchibo group (one of the leading coffee and food service providers in Europe) on the acquisition of the Scottish headquartered and family owned Matthew Algie. Acting for the KKR backed Webhelp group on UK aspects of KKR's exit from the Webhelp group to Belgian-based investment holding company Groupe Bruxelles Lambert in a deal with a reported enterprise value of circa €2.4 billion (having previously acted for the Indian-owned Hero group on the sale of HEROtsc now known as Webhelp UK to the Webhelp group in a deal with a reported enterprise value of £77m). Acting for the Webhelp group on corporate transactions including acquisitions from Serco as well as the acquisition of owner managed OEE Consulting and its subsequent merger with Webhelp group company Gobeyond. Acting for the Kent Foods group on various transactions including the buyout of Connacht Gold together with the acquisitions of owner-managed Velgrove Foods, Paramount Chocolate, Baileys of Portsmouth and Henley Bridge Ingredients. Acting for the Balmer family on the sale of a 68-bed care home and 58 bed care home to Renaissance Care. Acting for leading independent Scottish accountancy practice Campbell Dallas on the acquisition of its business by the Baldwins Group. Acting for the founders of leading energy services firm Everwarm on its merger with Lakehouse (creating an enlarged group with annual sales of circa. £240m). Acting for the owner managers of Castle Computers on its sale to Kick ICT Group in a deal that was reported as creating Scotland's largest independent IT services business specialising in the SME market. Acting for various clients on group reorganisation projects including demergers, share buy backs and capital reductions.

James McMorrow

Partner James advises the firm’s public, housing and third sector clients in relation to corporate, commercial, regulatory and public procurement issues. He regularly advises clients on complex, high value and high profile projects in the public sector and has a strong track record in helping to develop innovative funding and service delivery models across a range of sectors, including the affordable housing, charity, community renewable energy and sports sectors.

James Lloyd

Partner James heads the firm’s Insolvency team and has advised on corporate and personal insolvency related matters for many years. He advises creditors, banks and insolvency practitioners on all aspects of insolvency litigation. He is a Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialist in Insolvency Law and ranked in the UK’s leading legal directories in Restructuring/Insolvency, Insolvency and Corporate Recovery. He is noted for having a strong reputation in the market, he is known as “an expert in the personal insolvency field”, sources note “James Lloyd is the best man in Scotland for this work.” James has been recognised as a “World Leader” in commercial litigation by Who’s Who Legal.

Jamie Watt

Partner Jamie leads the firm’s intellectual property & technology (IP&T) team, as well as the life sciences group. He is a specialist in both intellectual property law and cybersecurity, accredited by the Law Society of Scotland, and a specialist in international trade marks, certified by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). His expertise includes trade marks & brand management (including anti-counterfeiting), patent law, pharmaceuticals and medical devices (including their regulatory regimes), aquaculture and marine technology, blockchain and decentralised network innovation, software, IT/ICT and the internet, and music, entertainment, sports and publishing. In addition, the European Commission has recognised Jamie as an expert in intellectual property under the Horizon programme, and previously under Framework Programmes FP5 to FP7. He has advised both the European Commission on commercialisation policy and the OECD on open access policy. He has also assisted extensively with the development of IP related legislation at both the Scottish and UK parliaments. Prior to joining the firm he was the in-house IP manager at a leading Scottish university. He has also worked in-house for a major independent record label and an artist management company. Jamie has extensive experience of cross border work and foreign jurisdictions, particularly the US, Netherlands, India and China. He also coordinates the Netherlands country desk, part of Harper Macleod’s international offering. He contributes regularly to journals such as Sports Law and Taxation on international IP related matters. Jamie is rated as an expert in trade mark matters by World Trade Mark Review, which comments that he “is highly skilled and experienced within the trademarks field, and has an impressively broad practice”. Jamie is rated as an expert in trade mark matters by World Trade Mark Review, which comments that he “is highly skilled and experienced within the trademarks field, and has an impressively broad practice”. He was named as an IP Star by Managing IP magazine in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Jane Blackwood

Jane has practised exclusively in family law since qualifying in 2010. She is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Family Law and as a Family Law Mediator. She has experience in all aspects of family law, including divorce and separation, financial provision on divorce, cohabitation and child residence and contact issues, including relocation. She also deals with the negotiation and preparation of pre and post-nuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements. She regularly appears in the Sheriff Court in cases involving the welfare of children and financial matters following separation. She also have experience in dealing with cases in the Court of Session involving high net worth and more complex matters. Where possible, she will always aim to resolve matters by negotiation and regularly deals with such cases. She advises clients of the legal options available to them, taking account of their individual circumstances at an emotionally difficult time.

Jenna McLean

Jenna advises clients on a range of commercial real estate transactions. She has a strong background in leasing (acting on behalf of both landlords and tenants in commercial leases) and investment purchase transactions. She has a particular interest in the hotel and leisure sector. Jenna also assists with the acquisition of development sites, as well as property disposals and acquisitions. She has acted on behalf of insolvency practitioners in connection with property disposals, including a recent hotel sale. Jenna also works alongside the corporate team and assists with the property aspects of corporate transactions.

Jennifer Grosvenor

Jennifer provides advice on a wide range of contentious matters to public and private sector clients in the Sheriff Court and Court of Session. She also regularly represents clients in the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing & Property Chamber) and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland. Her experience extends to representing clients in mediation and advising clients on alternative dispute resolution. She provides tailored advice to clients, depending on their specific needs and requirements, on the most efficient and cost-effective solutions to their issues. Jennifer’s practice has a particular property litigation focus. She regularly acts for clients in a diverse range of property related disputes, including complex commercial and residential landlord/tenant, access, neighbourhood and title condition disputes. Jennifer often assists clients in obtaining interim orders in relation to urgent matters to protect a client’s position. In addition to her property practice, she has a varied caseload. Her experience extends to advising clients in complex contractual disputes, professional negligence, contentious executry and consumer claims. She is also able to advise clients on the most appropriate and cost-effective enforcement and debt recovery action that can be adopted after a court order has been granted.

Jennifer Jack

Partner Jennifer leads our public law litigation and public inquiries practice across Scotland. Jennifer is an experienced lawyer who leads a team of lawyers focussing on public, administrative and constitutional law; public inquiries; civil liberties & human rights; and disputes involving the public sector and government (national and local). Jennifer works closely with her clients, taking a pragmatic approach to finding the best solutions for them. With long-standing recognised specialist expertise in public law and disputes involving public bodies (including government), Jennifer has significant experience of advising and representing clients on public, regulatory and constitutional law issues, including in Judicial Review and Appeals against decisions of a wide range of public authorities. Jennifer draws upon this practical litigation experience when advising clients on statutory/regulatory obligations and wider reputation management. Jennifer has an outstanding record of success in winning cases for government bodies, regulators, companies, campaign groups and individuals, in court and representing their interests at public inquiries. She is one of a handful of Scottish solicitors with experience of litigating in the Scottish Courts, UK Supreme Court and Court of Justice of the European Union. Jennifer advises clients on legislation and statutory interpretation, the powers and duties of public bodies, the art of getting decisions right first time and representing clients in situations when decision-making is questioned. The setting might be a Board/committee meeting, investigation, tribunal, court or public inquiry. Decisions could relate to competition /state aid/ procurement, planning/ environmental/ climate change issues, data protection & information law, education matters, looked-after children/ vulnerable adults/ homeless accommodation, or other areas where decisions are made that affect individuals, businesses and communities. Jennifer’s expertise is found in a thorough understanding of the relevant legislative/ regulatory/ procedural frameworks and how to identify and address areas susceptible to challenge. Jennifer’s thorough understanding of the often legally complex and politically sensitive issues affecting those operating within and engaging with the public sector allows her to give insightful advice, tailored to clients’ specific situations and needs.

Jenny Smith

Partner Jenny has a particular interest and experience in the financial issues arising from separation and divorce, often involving high net worth, complex, or unusual matters. Over her twenty-year career, she has been involved in many complicated cases in both the Sheriff Court and the Court of Session. She also has experience in all aspects of family law, including divorce and separation, civil partnership, financial provision, cohabitant claims, preparation of pre and post nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements and issues to do with children including residence and contact. Jenny is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in family law and is also an accredited family mediator. She is trained in interdisciplinary collaborative practice and is dual-qualified in Scottish and English law. Until 2021, she was a tutor in family law on the Strathclyde University Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. Until recently, she was also a committee member of the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow and the local Glasgow collaborative practice group. She regularly writes articles and blogs and delivers talks, both externally and internally. Her current caseload features several mid to high net worth divorce cases, including both litigated and negotiated cases, some of which involve complex business assets. She also handles a number of cohabitation cases, addressing both the regulation of cohabitation aspects in the event of separation or death and those where cohabitants have already separated. Additionally, she manages several cases involving issues related to children. She is often referred cases with a cross-border element and other jurisdictional matters, and she also acts as a mediator in various cases.

Jo Nisbet

Partner Jo is a corporate lawyer specialising in advising entrepreneurs. Jo works on a wide range of corporate transactions, including restructures, investments and exits. She works with companies throughout their life cycle – from inception of the idea to exit. Whilst she works across all sectors she predominantly advises high growth companies who have strong technology at their core, some examples of this work are: advising fintech company Aveni on an investment of £1.1 million to launch a ground-breaking Artificial Intelligence platform which is leading the way in a new era for speech analytics in business; advising Yoello on its equity investment. Yoello is a multi-award winning order and payment platform provider and is aiming to disrupt the existing payment system by utilising open banking legislation to bring merchants and customers closer together; advising Beringar Limited, a leading information technology company, on an equity investment from a number of corporate and individual investors; advising Continuum Industries, an Edinburgh-based company providing AI tools for engineering professionals to rapidly design linear infrastructure projects and reduce their costs, on a £1.5 million investment deal; and advising Incentive Holdings Limited, a company specialising in gamification, as it expands rapidly on a host of matters, including equity investment, unapproved share option arrangements and an EMI share option scheme. Jo is also at the forefront of the firm’s partnerships with organisation like Entrepreneurial Spark, (including their Space Accelerator) and Scottish Edge. In addition to working with the companies these organisation support she has acted for Entrepreneurial Spark and Scottish Edge on a number of transactions.

John McHugh

Partner John specialises in commercial disputes. His main focus is in the area of contractual disputes and his practice includes acting in contentious construction related matters. He also has a wealth of experience of commercial property disputes acting for both landlords and tenants. John acts in a wide range of contentious matters including fraud; professional negligence; PFI/PPP disputes; and construction claims. His commercial practice involves advising clients on disputes involving taxation and pensions. He has acted in disputes involving company directors and their duties. He also has considerable experience of sports law disputes and has acted in a number of football related matters. He conducts cases and appears in courts and tribunals of all levels, as well as adjudications and mediations. He has considerable experience of arbitration. John is a member of the Property Litigation Association and has passed the entrance examination of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is also a part-time Chairperson of the statutory First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber). He is a Member of the Law Society of Scotland’s Complaints sub-committee. For 15 years, he has been an active member of the International Fraud Group, which is an international group of law firms specialising in fraud and asset recovery. John is a solicitor advocate, which permits him to represent clients in the civil courts at all levels.

John Meehan

Partner Clients come to John for his strategic advice on how to shape and structure their deals for the best commercial solution. With his wide ranging experience in all aspects of commercial property law, commercial property finance, insolvency related property matters and tax, John ensures that all stakeholders’ interests are considered. John has an excellent reputation for being efficient, firm and fair. John’s work includes: land and development deals (including clawback & overage) property joint venturing property finance/forward funding investment landlord/tenant risk analysis & strategy for realisation or restructuring of distressed property or insolvency coordinating due diligence on property related due diligence. He has his own dedicated team of lawyers with whom he has worked for over 10 years. In larger deals, he is the principal contact for clients and manages the various specialisms and other external professional advisers to keep the deal on the commercial track. As well as the advisory work, John also deals with the project management of lawyers on other deals at home & abroad.

Julie Doncaster

Partner Julie Doncaster, Inverness & Highlands Lawyer, advises clients on wills, estate and succession planning, inheritance tax advice, formation, management and termination of trusts, charity law, powers of attorney, guardianships, planning for nursing home care costs and the administration of executries. She has a particular interest in personal injury trusts and succession arrangements for business and farm owners. Julie has successfully argued numerous high value tax cases with HMRC. She has provided opinions for high net worth personal injury cases and has advised and worked with many charities reviewing their structure and improving their day to day administration. She regularly presents to external organisations on her specialist areas; personal injury trusts, estate and tax planning and care of the elderly and frequently contributes to legal publications on these matters. Julie tutors on the Diploma in Legal Practice at both Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities.

Karen Gibbons

Partner Karen is an experienced litigator, with many years litigating in both the Sheriff Court and Court of Session. She recognizes that in some cases, litigation will be appropriate. However, in the majority of cases, she is able to help clients reach a positive outcome without the need for court proceedings. With extensive experience covering the spectrum of family law case types, including complex financial provision matters both in divorce (often including a cross-border element) and cohabitation cases. She regularly negotiates and assists clients in entering into separation agreements. In addition, she is regularly instructed to assist clients who wish to put in place pre- or post-nuptial and cohabitation agreements. Karen receives regular instructions in complex cases relating to children, particularly those arising following the breakdown of relationships, including residence and contact cases, as well as relocation cases. She has particular experience in dealing with cases where there has been the rejection of a parent following a separation, recognizing that such situations are often very complex and deeply distressing. Her child law practice also includes cases with an international element as well as child abduction cases. Karen receives regular appointments from Edinburgh Sheriff Court to act as a child welfare reporter in private child law cases. She has many years of experience in dealing with cases where domestic abuse is, or is alleged to be, a feature. She recognizes the complexity of such cases and the need for sensitivity. She is a keen proponent of the use of mediation in family law cases, recognizing the benefits the process can bring to many family law cases. She offers mediation in all types of family cases. Karen is a member of Consensus, IACP (the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals), CALM Scotland, and the Family Law Association of Scotland (FLA). For many years, she had a close involvement with the running of Scotland’s FLA as a committee member from 2008 to 2016, as well as in office-bearing roles (Vice Chair 2012 to 2014 and Chair 2016). Karen has now worked exclusively in the area of family law for more than 15 years. She is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in family law and in family mediation. She is also trained in Collaborative Practice.

Kathleen Martin

Kathleen acts for clients at all stages of their lives on a wide range of private client matters, including Wills, Powers of Attorney, Trusts, tax and succession planning, and the administration of estates. She advises on tax efficient succession planning, including lifetime gifting, Deeds of Variation for estate beneficiaries and the creation, management and termination of trust arrangements. She also advises on the administration of complex and high-value estates. Kathleen acts for a broad spectrum of clients with varying family and financial circumstances tailoring her advice to best address each individual scenario. She also assists clients with international roots, including advising on the matters regarding their UK assets and administering the Scottish estate of those who were domiciled abroad. Kathleen is recognised by The Legal 500 as a “Recommended Lawyer” in Personal Tax trust & Executries.

Keri Preece

Keri specialises in debt recovery litigation for a variety of public and private sector clients. She is involved in all aspects of pursuing and defending actions in the form of simple procedure claims, ordinary cause actions and summary applications. Keri appears in Sheriff Courts across Scotland on a weekly basis for procedural hearings and proofs. She also instructs a wide range of enforcement steps that can be undertaken after a successful court action. She has experience in actions for recovery of possession on behalf of a number of registered social landlords in a wide range of circumstances. She also provides advice in relation to the management of anti-social behaviour of tenants, including applications for Anti-Social Behaviour Orders. Keri also has a background in personal injury claims arising from industrial disease, employer’s liability, public liability and road traffic claims. She has both pursuer and defender experience in the Sheriff Court and Court of Session. She is involved in the preparation and delivery of in-house training to clients, including court procedure and witness training.

Laura McCorquodale

Partner Laura is a commercial litigator within our dispute resolution practice in Edinburgh – one of the most prominent litigation teams in Scotland – acting in some of the highest value and complex cases in the Court of Session. Laura specialises in construction, engineering and intellectual property (in construction) disputes. She acts in a number of cases in the Ordinary, Commercial and Intellectual Property Courts (in particular, patent disputes); in Petitions (to the Nobile Officium; for Suspension and Interdict; and for Judicial Review); and in Appeals before the Inner House. Laura also represents clients in adjudications, arbitrations, mediations and has acted for clients in cases before the UK IPO and the UK Supreme Court. Laura is a key contact in the firm when it comes to contentious construction disputes, acting for a wide range of clients from private individuals to employers in major construction projects. In addition to the usual contractual disputes regarding payment, delay and defects, Laura pursues and defends professional negligence claims against construction professionals. Laura leads the Firm’s Construction & Engineering Group, heads up “HM Construction Club”, co-leads our “Construction & Engineering Disputes” and “Construction & Engineering Contract Administration” teams and is a member of the Society of Construction Law. Intellectual property is a valuable asset that is often overlooked in the construction industry. Laura’s experience in both sectors helps to bridge the gap for clients and ensure that their IP rights are being protected. Of particular note, Laura recently secured a successful result for an award-winning UK market leader in the provision of monitoring devices for use in the construction industry, which was the first patent litigation to be taken to Proof in Scotland for 8 years. As well as acting for clients in trade mark and patent disputes, Laura often addresses complex matters concerning unregistered rights and passing off. In addition to her work for key clients, Laura is the Firm’s “brand guardian”, often enforcing its IP rights against infringing third parties. Advising clients at both pre-litigated and litigated stages means that Laura is acutely aware of the value and importance of continually assessing prospects of success, best method of recovery and potential scope for settlement – all whilst ensuring compliance with the statutory and regulatory environment within which the client operates.

Laura Ann Sheridan

Laura Ann is a Personal Injury associate with considerable experience in handling claims for individuals. She has expertise in dealing with cross-border personal injury claims including accidents abroad and accidents on-board ships and aircraft. She also handles claims arising out of road traffic accidents, workplace accidents, accidents in public places, professional negligence and criminal injuries. Laura Ann primarily deals with pursuing claims in the Court of Session and Sheriff Courts throughout Scotland. She has also represented clients in the Sheriff Appeal Court and Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal. She provides professional support services to the Personal Injury & Reparation team through regular updates on case law and technical aspects of Scottish Court procedure. She contributes commentary to the firm website and social media platforms on the developments of personal injury law. Laura Ann has developed an understanding of trauma-informed practice through her previous experience working in family law and on behalf of individuals who have suffered serious injuries and abuse. Laura Ann is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Personal Injury.

Leigh Beirne

Leigh advises individuals and families on a wide range of private client matters, tailoring her advice to best address each client’s family and financial circumstances. She specialises in the administration of complex and high value estates, the preparation of tax efficient Wills, lifetime Inheritance tax planning and financial and welfare Powers of Attorney. She also has experience in the creation, management and termination of trust arrangements, with a particular interest in Personal Injury and Charitable Trusts. Leigh was shortlisted as a finalist for ‘Junior Solicitor of the Year’ at previous Law Awards of Scotland. Leigh advises clients across the whole of Scotland, travelling to Shetland on a regular basis to service clients from our Lerwick office. As part of her work in Shetland, Leigh frequently advises on the succession of farms and crofts, and assists business owners with their personal succession planning, including within the marine sector.

Linda Walker

regularly advise on divorce and financial provision, cohabitation, child residence and contact, child abduction, child relocation, maintenance as well as measures for those in the early stages of their relationships such as pre-nuptial agreements or cohabitation agreements. I appear regularly in the Sheriff Court and regularly instruct Counsel in the Court of Session and can provide advice and representation when court is the best course of action. I have significant experience in international and cross border cases both in relation to children’s care and relocation or child abduction, and in relation to divorce. I have built relationships with solicitors in other jurisdictions which help to smooth the process. Linda has practised exclusively in the area of family law since 2014, prior to which I undertook a wide variety of litigation after qualifying in 2006. She is experienced in all areas of family law and has achieved two accreditations from the Law Society of Scotland; in Family Law and in Family Mediation. She is trained as a collaborative lawyer and is a member of CALM, the Family Law Association and Consensus. Linda volunteers as a solicitor for the Scottish Child Law Centre and often contribute to articles for various publications such as Greens Family Law Bulletin, Scots Law Times, the Scottish Legal News and the Scotsman.

Lorne Crerar

Professor Lorne Crerar CBE FRSE is one of the two founding partners of the firm and is the firm’s Chairman. Lorne is the firm’s Senior Partner in the Banking & Finance and Sports Sector Groups and is an active member of the Public Sector Group. He is responsible for the creation and implementation of the firm’s ongoing strategic policy. Lorne has wide experience of the operations of the public sector and has been appointed by The Scottish Government to undertake a number of independent reviews. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Birthday 2019 Honours List for his contribution to “economic and community development” in Scotland. Earlier that year he also received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Scottish Legal Awards. In 2021 he was elected as a Fellow of the RSE, Scotland’s prestigious National Academy, joining the RSE’s roll of around 1,600 leading thinkers and practitioners from Scotland and beyond. He was the only representative from a commercial law firm on the panel which supported the Independent Review of Legal Services in Scotland, chaired by Esther Roberton, which in October 2018 delivered a report recommending a new system of regulation for the Scottish legal profession. His report on Phase 2 of the Enterprise and Skills Review in 2017 led to the creation of a new Strategic Board for Enterprise and Skills in Scotland, and saw him appointed as Chairman of the Implementation Board set up to deliver on its aims. Lorne is a member of the Strategic Board. In 2017 he was also appointed as co-chair of a new National Council of Rural Advisers, which delivered a report to the Scottish Government creating a blueprint for Scotland’s rural economy which has been adopted by Scottish Government. Lorne was appointed to the Rural Economic Action Group tasked with developing Scotland’s Rural Economic Policy. His Independent Review of Regulation, Audit, Inspection and Complaints handling of public services in Scotland – “The Crerar Review” – saw almost all of his 44 key recommendations enshrined in statute – The Public Sector Reform Scotland Act 2010. In June 2004, he was appointed a non-executive Director of the Scottish Government with responsibility for the Justice Department. Lorne was appointed Chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in 2012, after first being appointed to the Board in April 2008, and stepped down in early 2020 after two terms in the position. He was invited to lecture at the University of Glasgow in 1981 on matters relating to Banking Law, Business Law and Commercial Contract Law. Lorne was appointed to the chair in Banking Law and took up the part-time post of Professor of Banking Law in 1997, becoming Professor Emeritus when he stepped down from that role in 2015. He was elected to the role and status of Fellow of the Institute of Bankers in Scotland in June 1999 and his book, “The Law of Banking in Scotland”, was published by Butterworths in 1997 and 2007 (2nd edition). Lorne was appointed Independent Reviewer of the Lending Code in June 2010, reported in November and his adopted proposals were implemented on 1 April 2011. A former Deputy Chairman of Scottish Enterprise Glasgow and Convener of the Standards Commission, he was a Chairman of the Housing Improvement Task Force. He is the architect of the Home Report system which changed the process for buying and selling domestic property in Scotland. A rugby player and referee in his day, Lorne is a former Chairman of the European Rugby Cup Tournament (EPCR) and was also a Judicial Officer at four Rugby World Cups and part of the judicial team at the inaugural Rugby 7s tournament at the 2016 Rio Olympics. For over 20 years he was Chairman of the Discipline Panels for the SRU, European Rugby Cup and 6Nations, standing down from these roles at the end of season 2016/17. He was an IRB “elite judge” and was also the Judicial Officer for the Rugby World Cup Finals in both 2015 and 2011. In July 2017, the Scottish Rugby Board awarded Lorne ‘Emeritus’ status on the Scottish Rugby Discipline Panel – the first time anyone had been granted that honour – in recognition of his ‘tremendous service to the game’. UK legal directory, Chambers UK, ranks Lorne as an “Eminent Practitioner” in Sports Law, where he has been described as “visionary solicitor” and “highly regarded in the Scottish sport sector”. In 2022, he was appointed chair of the new Scottish Rugby Union, prior to which he was asked to conduct a governance review of Scottish rugby. He is a Trustee of Scotland’s largest independent grant-making trust, The Robertson Trust. In 2018, he was the independent member of the selection panel that appointed the Chief Constable for Police Scotland. In 2022, he was selected to chair the strategic board of the new national public energy agency Heat & Energy Efficiency Scotland.

Lyndsay McMahon

Senior Associate Lyndsay has a wealth of experience in debt recovery litigation and is involved in all aspects of recovery actions in the form of simple procedure claims, ordinary actions and summary applications. Lyndsay regularly appears in Sheriff Courts across Scotland in respect of defended actions for various clients. She appears on behalf of housing association clients who raise court actions for recovery of possession and provides advice and assistance every step along the way. She has experience of advising on the wide range of enforcement actions that can be undertaken after a successful court action. Lyndsay also has experience of enforcement of Scottish court orders or decrees through the English courts. She was a paralegal in our Debt Recovery team for 11 years prior to qualifying as a solicitor. Lyndsay is a part-time tutor in Civil Litigation on the Diploma in Legal Practice at the University of Glasgow.

Lynne Stevenson

Senior Associate Lynne specialises in real estate and is highly experienced in a full range of property transactions including acquisitions, lettings and disposals of rural and urban property; investment acquisitions, management and disposals; site assemblies for commercial and residential developments; development agreements; all manner of lease transactions; servitudes; and the acquisition, disposal, management, restructuring and refinancing of portfolios of property. She has a proven track record not only in mainstream property work but also in specialist sectors such as rural, forestry, petrol filling stations, tourism, leisure and hospitality, utilities, and telecommunications and has experience of advising a wide range of clients in both the public and private sectors.

Michael Conroy

Partner Michael is highly experienced in the drafting and negotiation of building and engineering contracts and associated documentation for a wide variety of projects including: construction of public buildings, offices and industrial premises; hotels; retail developments; residential developments including student accommodation; road and infrastructure works; and plant and renewable energy projects including off-shore works. He also provides advice in relation to contentious construction matters representing clients in adjudication and providing a specialist resource for the firm's Litigation team. As well as acting for clients within the construction sector (contractors, sub-contractors and professionals), he also acts for their employers and parties having an interest in projects (both private and public sector organisations) covering a wide range of industry sectors including commercial real estate (investors and developers); retail and leisure (occupiers/operators); banking (development and acquisition finance providers); housing (for private sale or social rent); and energy (renewables and natural resources). Clients for whom Michael has acted include: Scottish Government; Scottish Prison Service; Scottish Court Service; Forestry Commission Scotland; Glasgow 2014 Limited; Highlands & Islands Enterprise; Global Infrastructure; Natural Power Consultants Limited; Glasgow Housing Association Limited; River Clyde Homes; Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership; HSBC ; Clydesdale Bank plc; Allied Irish Bank; and Co-Operative Bank plc. Michael is a Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialist in Construction Law.

Natalie Dissake

Natalie is an Accredited Specialist in Debt and Asset Recovery, advising both public and private sector clients and is involved in the case management of actions for recovery in simple procedure claims, ordinary cause actions and summary applications. She has experience in dealing with high profile cases which often attract media interest. She has expertise in the case management of defended actions, which requires particular knowledge of the civil procedure and practice of court actions in Scotland. Natalie also has experience in dealing with commercial actions together with mediation and case management conferences. She has particular expertise with regards to recovery of possession actions, both with regards to outstanding rental arrears and Anti-social Behaviour cases for a number of registered social landlords. Natalie provides advice and assistance with regards to regulatory issues in relation to the application of legislative developments for Registered Social Landlords and Public Bodies. She also has a wide range of experience in the enforcement procedures available to creditors on the award of a court decree or by way of summary diligence. Natalie also offers her clients Added Value Services in the form of redrafting policy guidelines and providing in-house training. The training can vary from court procedure, witness training and debt recovery collection techniques. She has also recently assisted the Lord Presidents Legal Secretary in the redrafting of a key piece of legislation.

Omar Ali

Partner Omar has over 15 years’ experience in the energy sector acting for a variety of developers, landowners and funders in large and small scale renewable energy projects including wind (onshore and offshore), hydro, solar pv and battery storage. Omar also advises clients in relation to grid connection arrangements for energy projects to the transmission and distribution systems in Scotland. Omar has considerable experience in the acquisition and sale of renewable energy projects and regularly carries out due diligence and reporting exercises for a variety of clients including UK and global investment funds. Omar also acts for both funders and borrowers in the financing and re-financing of renewable energy projects and that experience brings a balanced and commercial approach to his advice. Omar is part of Harper Macleod’s Marine Economy Team focussing on offshore wind and marine renewables. Omar was a member of Harper Macleod’s award winning Energy Team of the Year title at 2 previous Scottish Legal Awards. Omar is a founding member of the Scottish Ethnic Minorities Lawyers Association (SEMLA) which was launched in 2017 with the support of the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates. SEMLA focuses on the networking and support of ethnic minority lawyers and law students in Scotland.

Pamela Todd

Partner Pamela has significant experience in advising clients on wind and hydro energy developments and in the mineral extraction industry. She deals with the negotiation and settlement of contracts in relation to property commercial matters for the firm’s renewable energy, mining, and waste management clients. She has regularly been involved in the negotiation of Section 75 agreements on behalf of local authorities, developers and landowners, including the negotiation of multiparty bonding arrangements in respect of restoration obligations. Historically, her experience of large contract negotiations together with her innovative use of information technology for data handling expertise led Pamela to be involved in housing projects for Dumfries and Galloway, City of Glasgow and Scottish Borders Councils and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Recent deals that she has advised on include the acquisition of Cumberhead Wind Farm, the sale of Longhill Burn and Sorbie wind farms, the completion of funding arrangements for a suite of hydro schemes in Argyllshire and gold prospecting arrangements, also in Argyllshire. Member of the Energy Team of the Year 2011 & 2013, Scottish Legal Awards.

Pamela Niven

Partner Pamela leads the firm’s Private Client team. She has a wealth of experience in all aspects of private client work, having worked in this area for over 20 years. She has a particular interest in will drafting, estate administration and estate planning, including considering matters relating to Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax. She has expertise in all aspects of Trusts, including lifetime Discretionary Trusts, Trusts in relation to pension and death in service benefits, and Will Trusts. Pamela is very involved in dealing with matters relating to the administration of an individual’s affairs, particularly involving the implementation of financial and welfare Powers of Attorney.

Paula Skinner

Partner Paula is head of the entrepreneurial team at Harper Macleod that focuses on advising entrepreneurs on all legal aspects of their business. Her personal specialism is advising entrepreneurs on corporate transactions such as investments (including equity crowdfunding), acquisitions/disposals and restructures. She works with businesses at all stages of their life cycle – from inception of idea to funding to exit. Paula previously worked in-house at a venture capitalist and within the investment team at Scottish Investment Bank. Her team completed over 186 transactions over the past 3 years, 74 of them being equity investments and 27 being M&A transactions. You can review some of the deals Paula and her team have been involved in at our up-to-date corporate deals table. Paula has in the past participated in an entrepreneurship course by Babson College at the University of Strathclyde.

Peter Ferguson

Partner Peter specialises in planning and environmental law and he advises a range of stakeholders, including planning authorities, regulators, statutory consultees, developers, objectors, landowners and funders. His workload is a broad mix of advocacy, advisory and transactional work. Advocacy: Representing clients at inquiry and hearing sessions held in relation to: appeals against refusal of planning permission; applications for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act; Examinations of Local Development Plans; Compulsory Purchase Orders; and applications for Necessary Wayleaves under the Electricity Act. Advisory: Providing advice on: legislation and regulations; consenting strategy; development plans; planning appeals; and enforcement action. Transactional: Negotiating Planning Obligation agreements (formerly Section 75 Agreements) and other planning related legal agreements; carrying out planning and environmental due diligence for developers and funders; dealing with planning and environmental matters arising from property and corporate transactions. Prior to joining the firm, Peter was the in-house counsel and company secretary of Scottish Resources Group. In that role he developed expertise regarding the development and regulation of large-scale coal mining, wind energy, property development and waste projects. He brings a client’s perspective and commercial experience to the delivery of legal services.

Ross Thomson

Partner Based in our Inverness and Elgin offices, Ross specialises in commercial property work. Known for his commercial and solution driven approach, his clients range from developers, investors and trading SME businesses to funders and public sectors bodies – and that across the key sectors of the Highlands & Island and Moray: housing; leisure and hospitality; industrial; energy; the marine economy and also with focus on healthcare. In healthcare Ross has developed a Scotland wide practice acting for international healthcare groups in the management of their Scottish property estate, assisting buyers and sellers in the busy consolidator markets in the veterinary and dental sectors and working with developers, investors and operators in the care home sector: from land purchase, funding and site assembly to construction and exit. In the Highlands & Islands and Moray, as well as purchase, sale and leasing, Ross acts for a number of key clients across the north of Scotland in the management of their property estate and Ross and his team work closely in supporting our corporate colleagues in merger and acquisition and succession planning work, primarily for family owned and owner managed businesses. Ross is heavily involved in the business community of the Highlands & Islands and Moray, including being a past president of Inverness Chamber of Commerce and a non-executive director of a local charity.

Sandy Hastie

Partner Sandy heads the firm's Dispute Resolution practice, and acts in a range of complex and high value litigations. He has particular expertise in corporate and shareholder litigation, as well as disputes in the banking and financial services, healthcare, energy and construction sectors. Sandy also regularly advises clients in procurement, competition and professional negligence claims. As well as his prominent practice in the commercial court of the Court of Session, Sandy has acted in numerous appeals to the United Kingdom Supreme Court. Sandy has a substantial public law practice and has extensive experience of advising the firm’s private and public sector clients in judicial review proceedings and statutory appeals involving questions of administrative law. In addition to his litigation expertise, Sandy has a strong track record of resolving high value disputes through mediation, arbitration and expert determination.

Scott Milligan

Partner Scott is a Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialist in Employment Law and advises clients in the private, public and third sector on a range of employment law issues, including matters arising throughout the whole employment relationship, from recruitment through to termination of employment. Scott regularly conducts advocacy in Employment Tribunals throughout Scotland, England and Wales for both claimant and respondent, and has represented clients to Court of Session level. Recent appearance work includes the successful defences of claims for both one of Edinburgh’s biggest employers and a major public sector organisation in Glasgow. Scott works closely with the firm’s Corporate, Infrastructure & Projects and Commercial Property teams in relation to the employment aspects of commercial transactions, advising particularly in relation to TUPE implications. He has been involved providing advice to employers in large scale transactions, including service provision changes, mergers, acquisitions and disposals, with hundreds of affected employees. In such transactions, Scott has provided strategic advice on high level exits and workforce restructure in addition to all aspects of the TUPE process. In addition to his legal experience, Scott has also been seconded within the HR team of a multi-national employer in order to assist with large scale TUPE and collective redundancy consultation processes. Scott regularly delivers seminars and training on employment related matters both in-house and externally to clients, including recently in relation to Modern Slavery obligations.

Scott Kerr

Partner Scott has a wide range of experience in advising on corporate structures, including companies, partnership and joint ventures. He also advises on mergers and acquisitions and investment both for start-up and established businesses. Scott leads the firm's Food & Drink Group and advises a wide range of clients in that sector. He also has particular focus on the life sciences and technology fields, dealing with a number of regulatory issues, and has practical experience of the energy and renewable sectors. He is experienced in advising clients on a range of commercial contracts, including distribution, agency and franchise contracts (both in the UK and worldwide). Accredited as a specialist in intellectual property law by the Law Society of Scotland, he also advises widely on the registration and exploitation of intellectual property rights and related contracts, including web-based documentation. Whatever the issue he is addressing, his focus is on achieving a simple and practical solution taking account of the commercial requirements of his client. Scott also coordinates the Sweden country desk, part of Harper Macleod's international offering.

Stephen Chan

Partner Stephen has a wide range of experience in corporate and corporate finance work, including mergers and acquisitions, management buy-outs, private equity, joint ventures and public offerings. Examples of his M&A experience include: Advising Low & Bonar plc on the Scottish aspects of its £107 million sale to German firm Freudenberg SE, a leading player in the global market for performance materials. The advice included all aspects of the Scottish scheme of arrangement which required the sanction of the Court of Session. Advising Port of Leith Housing Authority in its acquisiton of TBM Energy. Acting for Banwell & Associates in its acquistion of BMTS. Advising the shareholders of Whitespace in the sale of the whole issued share capital to Dentsu. Acting on the sale of Water Coolers (Scotland) Limited, a major supplier of water coolers in Scotland, in its sale to Eden Springs. Stephen specialises in all different forms of partnership law and is the author of “A Practical Guide to Partnership Law in Scotland” and also heads up the firm’s Partnership Law team. Stephen has been involved in the use of Scottish limited partnerships as investment vehicles, primarily to be used as property investment vehicles. One of his most recent deals was advising RPLP General Partner on a new Scottish limited partnership to be used for property development along the Glasgow waterfront. Stephen also coordinates the China country desk, part of Harper Macleod’s international offering. Some of the China deals he has advised on include the investment by Carbon Science in Edinbugh Bioscience, commercial agreements for Haoguang Biotechnology and the proposed purchase by a Chinese client of the business and assets of Kaiam. Stephen is also a tutor on Commercial Contracts at Glasgow University, the Legal Secretary to the Edinburgh Comedy Awards and also previously acted as Company Secretary to two PLCs.

Suzanne McGarrigle

Partner Suzanne specialises in defender personal injury work, covering the full range from employer liability to public liability claims, RTA work as well as some product liability cases. A particular area of her practice is related to industrial disease claims and the particular challenges associated with these types of claims. These include a large amount of claims arising from alleged asbestos exposure resulting in a whole range of medical conditions from pleural plaques through to mesothelioma and also an increasing number of noise induced hearing loss claims. Suzanne’s clients range from self-insured companies to loss adjusters, insurers and public sector bodies. She has experience of dealing with claims in both the Sheriff Court and the Court of Session. Her focus is on being proactive and developing a strategy as soon as possible, being aware of each client’s needs and communicating effectively so the legal process is clear and her clients feel comfortable making decisions. Suzanne particularly enjoys developing an understanding of a defender’s operation and what they do. Suzanne is also a Solicitor Advocate, which permits her to represent clients in the civil courts at all levels. Suzanne regularly speaks at clients’ in-house training sessions on developments in liability insurance and aspects of Scottish court procedure.

Tom Gray

Partner Tom represents a range of clients in relation to farm, forestry and estate purchases and sales throughout Scotland. He also represents a number of public sector clients, including Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), Nature Scot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage), Accountant in Bankruptcy and The Office of King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer, in a variety of agricultural, forestry and commercial property related transactions, ranging from complex acquisitions and disposals to multiparty agreements and high value leases. Tom acts in a high number of acquisition and disposal transactions under Forestry and Land Scotland’s New Woodland Investment Programme (NWIP). Since 2017, Tom has completed the acquisition and disposal of more than 7,000ha of mixed forestry with a combined value of over £30 million, enabling FLS to successfully invest in new planting in order to meet the annual target of planting new woodland set by the Scottish Ministers. As a member of The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, Tom is actively engaged with the farming community and is able to utilise his knowledge of the market to deliver essential advice to our HM Connect Network on Land Reform and agricultural tenancies. He frequently attends rural property, farming, forestry and environmental events across Scotland.

Tom Thomas

Partner Tom specialises in intellectual property and technology related matters (including outsourcing) as well as mainstream corporate acquisitions, sales, structures, drafting and negotiating commercial arrangements, and agreements. Tom also has extensive experience within the renewable energy and sport sectors. Tom is senior partner in the firm's Intellectual Property & Technology practice and is listed in the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers. He was previously a member of the panel of independent experts appointed by Nominet UK, the UK level domain name authority, to adjudicate on domain name disputes. His experience includes: Acting for the Scottish Professional Football League (formerly the Scottish Premier League) in relation to its broadcast and sponsorship agreements since 1998 including recent agreements with Sky, BT Sport, the BBC, YouTube, BBC ALBA and overseas rights distributor MP & Silva. Advising Glasgow 2014 Ltd in relation to the host broadcast agreement for coverage of the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow; advising sportscotland and various sports governing bodies in relation to corporate and commercial matters. Advising the Forestry and Land Scotland in relation to various wind and hydro renewable energy initiatives and their implementation. Advising the Highlands and Islands Enterprise in relation to its £146million next generation broadband agreement with BT. Advising various agencies and directorates of the Scottish Government in relation to commercial contracts and corporate matters Advising a Scottish public body in relation to an outsourcing and shared IT services venture with several other Scottish public bodies. Advising various community organisations in relation to renewable energy projects. Advising Webhelp in relation to various outsourcing agreements to the mobile telecommunications and financial services sectors in the UK. Tom is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Intellectual Property Law.

Tony Cameron

Partner Tony has significant experience in acting for both lenders and borrowers in a wide range of transactions including acquisition finance, real estate finance, project finance, housing finance, asset finance, working capital solutions and restructuring/refinancing. Tony’s expertise also extends to, among other areas, advising on guarantees, intercreditor issues, challengeable transactions and hedging documentation. He regularly handles and helps to structure complex and high-value transactions, often involving multi-jurisdictional issues, and is able to draw on knowledge and skills gained in his background in large-scale project finance transactions. Having spent time on secondment in a non-legal role within the corporate and structured finance team of a major UK bank, Tony delivers a service which is sharply focused on the requirements of a lender and equally applies an understanding of bank processes and motivations to achieve the best possible outcome for borrowers. He enjoys strong relationships with all of the lenders operating in the Scottish market and has acted for a range of well-known Scottish businesses in relation to their banking and finance requirements. Tony is focussed on ensuring that clients’ aspirations are met both in terms of achieving the best deal possible and delivering transactions within the time frames required. Tony also coordinates the Ireland country desk, part of Harper Macleod’s international offering.

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