Lawyers in Scotland

David Anderson

David is a corporate and commercial lawyer based in the firm’s Edinburgh office. David is recognised in the Scottish legal market as a go-to corporate lawyer in the digital / technology sectors. David is immersed in the technology (particularly fintech) world both locally in Scotland and across the UK. His practice advises established digital businesses such as FNZ, up and coming or fast growing technology businesses, investors into digital and fintech businesses and blue chip financial services organisations investing into digital businesses or the procurement of their technology.

Addleshaw Goddard

David Cruickshank

David is a partner in the Firm's Energy and Infrastructure practice, specializing in domestic and international renewable energy projects. David has a wealth of experience in the infrastructure and energy sectors advising both developers and funders on large-scale infrastructure and power projects during his time at Dentons, Linklaters, Shearman & Sterling and Barclays Capital (where he was a director in the Energy & Utilities team). He specializes in the renewables and alternative energy sector with particular expertise in the wind, solar, hydro and biomass sectors. As the co-chair of the Dentons Energy Transition group, he has an excellent understanding of the importance of decarbonization programs to both public and private sector clients and is also involved with a number of clients in their COP26 initiatives. David has most recently worked for: a large multinational on the development of its hybrid PPA projects incorporating conventional, solar and battery power; and a host of investment funds, developers and utilities on a series of renewable M&A transactions for both consented and operational projects in the UK. In addition to his expertise in energy, he also advises the UK government on large-scale infrastructure and procurement programs.

Addleshaw Goddard

David Dennis

Partner

CMS

David Horne

David specialises in corporate and commercial law, particularly corporate finance, acquisitions and disposals, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial contracts and private equity deals. He has experience of a wide range of industry sectors, including metals, real estate, manufacturing, sports, energy, IT and outsourcing. Having worked in-house for over 18 years as director and group company secretary for Murray International Holdings, David also has a good understanding of other areas of legal practice, including employment and real estate, and provides ‘real life’ business expertise to clients.

Addleshaw Goddard

David Hughes

David has specialised in employment law for more than 17 years and is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in this field. He is also a solicitor advocate with extended rights of audience in the Court of Session and Supreme Court. David practices in all areas of employment law, including conducting appearances in the Employment Tribunal and EAT throughout the United Kingdom. David predominantly advises employers, dealing with the full range of employment law issues including unfair dismissal, discrimination, TUPE, senior executive exits and redundancy, and has many years’ experience advising on employment law issues in the oil and gas industry in particular. David works across our offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. David has a particular interest in workplace mediation and is a certified mediator. He has undertaken mediation in commercial and employment law disputes and has also conducted judicial mediation in the Employment Tribunal. Having a particular interest in training and development, David was senior tutor in employment law at Aberdeen University in the post graduate Diploma in legal practice from 2013 – 2017 and undertakes many training courses for clients on all aspects of employment law, HR practice and procedure, mediation skills and management skills.

Addleshaw Goddard

David Kirchin

David leads the corporate team in Scotland and is also a central figure in the development of the firm’s new Aberdeen office. He has significant experience in corporate and banking work, including M&A, investment, corporate finance and acquisition finance. David has a broad range of clients, including banks, private companies, equity investors and SMEs, and has particular expertise in the oil and gas sector, particularly advising service companies. Prior to joining the firm, David worked as in-house counsel at BP in Aberdeen. He continues to work in a quasi-general counsel role with a number of the firm’s key clients. David is noted by Chambers to be "extremely impressive; calm and relaxed and very knowledgeable".

Addleshaw Goddard

David Meisel

David is a Partner in the corporate division advising on M&A transactions with significant experience acting for a range of corporate clients including on domestic and cross border transactions. David has experience across a variety of sectors with extensive experience advising clients in the dental and healthcare sectors. Recent experience includes advising: Global Critical Logistics on its acquisitions of Dynamic International Freight Services, Dynamic Dox and the CARS group; Livingbridge on its investments into Quorum Cyber Security and Nourish Care Systems; Lightpoint Medical on its sale to Telix; the shareholders of Enamel Dental on its sale to Real Good Dental Group; the sale of Dawood and Tanner Dental Practice to Dentex; and Dental Beauty Partners on its acquisitions of Kiss Dental and Ascent Dental.

Shoosmiths

Dean Cooper

Dean is an experienced senior lawyer in the firm's real estate team, with broad knowledge acquired over many years working with clients on commercial real estate transactions and which includes acting for investors, occupiers, developers and lenders. His experience includes advising on all aspects of commercial property related matters, including: purchasing, selling and managing investment properties; landlord and tenant matters; letting of shops, offices and industrial units; acting for large corporate occupiers; acquiring and structuring sites for commercial and residential development, as well as coordinating teams on the end unit sales process. Some particular examples of Dean’s wide experience include: acting for large industrial investment funds on acquisitions, disposals (including £150m portfolio), and asset management of large portfolios of industrial estates; acting for a large logistics operator in acquiring a new 150,000+ sq. ft. facility at London Medway pursuant to a development agreement for lease; acting for a large transatlantic financial services operator in the taking of new London headquarter premises in Paternoster Square; advising and acting for a large PLC on the disposal of its £100m+ Manchester office portfolio; acting for overseas investors in the acquisition of £60m+ plus office building in Mayfair; advising residential developers on the acquisition and structuring of residential development sites; acting for a substantial private investment and development company in its acquisition, development and forward sale of sites including for electronic vehicle charging and self-storage facilities; advising alarge property developer in connection with its proposed £150m PBSA scheme; and providing corporate support on the acquisition of care homes, acting on the real estate aspects of those business acquisitions.

Shoosmiths

Donna-Marie Brennan

Partner - Private Wealth

Weightmans LLP

Drew Wallace

DLA Piper

Duncan Turner

Partner

CMS

Ed Watt

Ed is a recognised leading commercial shipping lawyer and head of the firm’s shipping group. Ed has acted in the sale or purchase and registration of more than 200 vessels, and is a recognised expert in dual registration of ships in the Caspian Sea. With an international practice acting for ship owners, builders and banks, Ed has led negotiations and completions in over 20 countries. His experience covers the full range of transactional and commercial needs of clients in the shipping, offshore renewable energy, and oil & gas sectors. He specialises in the sale, purchase and registration of ships, in particular offshore vessels; commercial agreements, time charters and tender negotiations for major projects; ship building contracts and complex bareboat lease structures. "Ed Watt continues to operate on an almost bewildering international scale" Scotsman Legal Review

Addleshaw Goddard

Eilidh Wood

Eilidh is a senior associate in the firm’s Employment team, based in Edinburgh, having joined the firm in 2021. She advises on both contentious and non-contentious employment law issues covering the full lifecycle of the employment relationship, as well as regularly providing employment expertise in connection with corporate and real estate transactions and matters relating to TUPE. She has particular experience in conducting employment tribunal litigation in both Scotland and England, including in relation to complex discrimination and whistle blowing claims, as well as equal pay claims. Eilidh’s experience includes conducting advocacy at all stages of Tribunal proceedings.

Burges Salmon LLP

Eleanor Kerr

Eleanor is a Partner in the Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation practice, based in the Glasgow office. She specialises in all aspects of inheritance tax and capital gains tax planning (including formation and administration of trusts), as well as the preparation of wills, administration of executries and the Scottish law relating to charities.

Dentons

Eleanor Lane

Partner

CMS

Elizabeth Ward

Elizabeth joined Shoosmiths as a Partner in 2023. She specialises in all aspects of private equity transactions and PE portfolio company matters including advising sponsors and management teams on M&A, due diligence and equity arrangements. She has previously held the role of General Counsel with two private equity portfolio companies which included responsibility for M&A, ranging from extensive buy and build and integration projects, to exits, refinancings and management equity. Most recently, Elizabeth worked alongside Shoosmiths in the legal team of leading PE investor, Rothschild & Co (Five Arrows Principal Investments) where she advised on a number of buyout and growth equity transactions including major cross-border investments into N2Y, Mintec, Agribriefing and Kpler.

Shoosmiths LLP

Emma Blundell

Senior Associate

CMS

Emma Woodyet

Shoosmiths

Euan Bruce

DLA Piper

Euan Wilson

Euan is a partner in the Infrastructure team with 23 years' experience and specializes in large infrastructure and project finance transactions such as PFI, NPD, hub, BSF and LIFT. As a dual-qualified lawyer, Euan has worked on projects throughout the UK. Euan has a particular focus in the area of secondary market PFI/PPP transactions and is recognized as a market-leading figure in this area, advising large UK investment funds and a range of other significant market players. In addition, Euan provides strategic advice to equity investors and directors on dozens of operational projects (from a client book of more than 60 operational projects). Clients include Aviva, Dalmore Capital, Semperian, Sir Robert McAlpine, AMP Capital (Irish infrastructure fund), Morgan Sindall Investments, 3i Infrastructure and Network Rail.

Addleshaw Goddard

Fay Lamb

Fay is an experienced senior associate in the Real Estate team, based in the firm’s Edinburgh office. She acts in broad a range of real estate matters, including acquisitions and disposals, landlord and tenant, development and portfolio financing. Fay is qualified to practice in Scotland.

Burges Salmon LLP

Fenella Mason

Partner

CMS

Finlay Campbell

DLA Piper

Finlay McKay

Partner

CMS