United Kingdom - Scotland
1

Transport

Brodies LLP

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Adept across all commercial, infrastructure and regulatory aspects of transport projects, Brodies LLP is a leading player in the Scottish market and has long-established strength in the rail, shipping and aviation sectors, as well as the emerging market in zero-carbon transport. Duncan MacLean heads the shipping and transport team and covers both contentious and non-contentious work, while Roger Cotton also brings specialisms in regulatory law, public procurement and state aid. Odell Milne has a strong track record in carrying out large-scale land assembly for major transport infrastructure projects, with planning specialist Karen Hamilton adding invaluable consenting processes, compulsory purchasing and inquiries experience. Jackie McGuire heads the government and business team and is known for her skill in complex road litigations pertaining to ransom strips.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Brodies are extremely responsive to our requests for legal advice. They very quickly put us in touch with the subject-matter experts and meetings were quickly set up. The advice or response is always in a very timely manner, and they have been able to turn some pieces around within 24 hours.'
  • 'Duncan MacLean is extremely proficient, professional, knowledgeable and personable.'
  • 'They understand our business and listen to what we are seeking to achieve. Working diligently, they support in many different legal areas.'
  • 'The breadth of experience allows the team to provide pragmatic and practical advice which is easy to understand and follow. The team is very approachable and open to new ideas and questions.'
  • 'The Brodies team have an unrivalled knowledge of the transport discipline, for example in relation to statutory process in the planning of linear transport infrastructure projects. They have a can-do-attitude and no issue or timescale seems to ever be a problem. In terms of value for money, they cannot be faulted. Highly recommended.'
  • 'Odell Milne: outstanding in her field. The can-do-attitude brings a great degree of calm to clients. Channelling her industry-leading knowledge of the subject matters has led to all issues being overcome, even when programme dates are incredibly demanding.'
  • 'Jackie McGuire is superb. She is pragmatic, solutions driven and understands the needs of her client. She acknowledges instructions quickly, delegates appropriately, and is always available when her expertise is required.'
  • 'Karen Hamilton has provided invaluable assistance on some very complex and detailed matters.'

Key clients

  • Abellio East Midlands
  • Aberdeen City Council
  • Agility Logistics
  • Albatrans
  • Argyll and Bute Council (local roads authority)
  • Associated British Ports
  • AXA XL
  • Bank of Scotland
  • Beazley
  • BP Shipping Ltd
  • Borr Drilling
  • CalMac Ferries
  • City of Edinburgh Council (local roads authority)
  • Clarkson Port Services (Clarksons)
  • Clyde Marine Services
  • Clydesdale Bank
  • DB Cargo
  • Edinburgh City Council
  • Falkirk Council (local roads authority)
  • International Group P&I Clubs (including North of England, Gard, UK, Standard, Britannia, West of England, Steamship, Shipowners and Skuld)
  • Jacobs UK Ltd
  • Lerwick Port Authority
  • Leyland Trucks Limited
  • Lothian Buses
  • Maersk Drilling
  • Midlothian Council (local roads authority)
  • MS Amlin
  • Montrose Port Authority
  • Network Rail
  • NMU Speciality Insurance
  • Perth and Kinross Council
  • Petroineos
  • Royal Bank of Scotland
  • Royal Yacht Britannia
  • ScotRail
  • Seaway Heavy Lift
  • Serco Northlink Ferries
  • Stirling Council (local roads authority)
  • Stirling Council (road and rail interface)
  • Stornoway Port Authority
  • Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (West of Scotland Regional Transport Partnership)
  • Subsea 7 Ltd
  • Sunderland Marine
  • Svitzer Marine Ltd
  • Swire Oilfield Do Brasil Limitada
  • TT Club
  • XPO Logistics

Work highlights

  • Acted for Perth and Kinross Council on the Cross Tay Link Road, one of the most significant roads infrastructure projects ever undertaken by a Scottish local authority, which will include a new road bridge over the Highland mainline railway and one of Scotland’s largest rivers.
  • Acted for Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd providing strategic advice and claim support to Network Rail in relation to claims against The Coal Authority following subsidence which impacted the railway near Kilmarnock in July 2022.
  • Continued to advise the new public sector owned ScotRail Trains Limited in relation to its operations.

Lawyers

Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Fehmida Hanif
Brodies LLP
Fehmida is an experienced litigator acting on behalf of insurance and commercial entities dealing with a wide range of disputes raised in both the Sheriff Court and the Court of Session, including litigation in the Commercial Court Division. She is instructed by insurers, self-insured businesses and public bodies in defending claims in the marine, road, rail and aviation sectors, and often in matters with cross-jurisdictional elements. She specialises in defending personal injury claims, including large loss and catastrophic personal injury claims for major insurers and self-insured clients. Fehmida also has counter-fraud experience with an interest in identifying and defending suspected fraudulent insurance claims
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Jackie McGuire
Brodies LLP
Jackie is co-head of our Government and Business team. She is a public law specialist with particular experience and expertise in the local government sector where she worked in-house for a substantial period of time. She regularly advises on the full breadth of local authority activity including social care, education, housing and roads as well as in relation to conduct and good governance. She also advises clients in relation to major infrastructure process working closely with colleagues in Real Estate and Planning in relation to compulsory purchase and statutory consents. Jackie’s client base includes a number of Scottish local authorities. Jackie also acts on behalf of a number of registered social landlords as well as the Scottish Housing Regulator. Her regulatory practice also extends to advising and supporting care providers in connection with investigations and regulatory interventions in addition to advising clients in the independent schools sector in relation to regulation, standards and good governance.
Karen Hamilton
Brodies LLP
Karen is a recognised expert in compulsory purchase and compensation. She has significant experience of consenting and land assembly implications for major infrastructure projects in the transport and energy sectors, frequently leading or collaborating within multi-disciplinary teams. She has also advised on a number of high-profile city centre projects, including purpose built student accommodation (PBSA); build to rent (BTR) and hotel developments, and has significant experience in the aquaculture sector. Karen advises clients on consenting risk and strategy; procedure; EIA; planning obligations; appeals and inquiries. Having worked in local government for 5 years at the start of her career, Karen has a good understanding of the public sector landscape and advises a number of planning authorities and other regulators, as well as developers, funders and major landowners.
Duncan MacLean
Brodies LLP
Duncan heads the Shipping & Transport team and is recognised as a leading lawyer in this area. Working across the sector, and advising on both disputes and transactional work, he is known for his commitment to and understanding of the industry in Scotland and beyond, whilst delivering advice that is practical and strategic.Duncan handles claims of all sorts for leading P&I Clubs, marine and other insurers, advises owners, operators and port authorities on a range of issues, and is experienced in acting for banks, shipowners and shipbuilders in new builds, sale and purchase and charters. His work includes the merchant fleet, ferries, tugs and workboats, oil and gas, fishing, aquaculture, and logistics by sea, land and rail. He also has experience in handling fixed wing and rotor incidents in the aviation sector.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Duncan MacLean

Other key lawyers

Roger Cotton, Fehmida Hanif, Odell Milne, Karen Hamilton, Jackie McGuire

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