BURNESS has confirmed the arrival of McClure Naismith's former head of real estate, Nick Naddell, to boost their property offering. He will be joined by associates Graeme Bradshaw and Emma Millar, as well as secretary Lisa Ure in the already 59-stro
ng property team. Mark Ellis will also be joining the firm as a corporate finance partner from London firm Travers Smith. Ellis originally trained with Burness and is returning to the firm with experience gained with Travers Smith and leading international firm Lovells.
PINSENT Masons has announced a raft of promotions in Scotland. Struan Robertson has been promoted to legal director in the outsourcing, technology and commercial team. Chris Martin and Susan McKiernan are promoted to senior associate in the same department. Frazer Wardhaugh has been promoted to associate in the construction team, with Ben Doherty reaching associate in the employment, pensions and tax team.
NEWSTHE offices of the Law Society of Scotland have been put up for sale. The property at 25-27 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh, has been the home of the Society since 1969 and is a 18,869 ft² (1,713m²) Category-B listed building. The sale will be one of the largest sales of traditional townhouse accommodation in central Edinburgh in the past seven years.
THE Solicitor General, Frank Mulholland QC, has welcomed the findings of a review of the prevention, investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime in Scotland. The joint review was carried out by the Independent Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (IPS) and her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS).
He said: "The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) fully recognises the impact that wildlife crime has on our unique and precious natural heritage and that there must be effective enforcement of the law in this area. I am therefore pleased that this review highlights much of the good work that is being done by the Police and Procurators Fiscal to tackle wildlife crime."
HBJ Gateley Wareing has launched a family practice in Glasgow with the recruitment of Sara Matheson and Shona Templeton from three-partner Glasgow family firm MathesonRitchie. They join the firm's private-client team, which has grown from four lawyers to ten partners and over 50 fee-earners in less than four years.
THE Financial Times has started a project ranking Europe's Top 50 law firms and legal teams. Last year, DLA Piper (ranked sixth) was the only firm in the Top 10 with a presence in Scotland. The FT Innovative Lawyers project assesses the firms on criteria other than profitability, size and reputation. The research analyses the way they are run and the contribution they make to business and the community.
EVENTSPAGAN Osborne is holding an evening for local traders at its new Edinburgh branch on Comiston Road on 24 April. During the event, Pagan Osborne staff will meet local traders from the Morningside area and give advice about the services offered by the firm.
RACHAEL Kelsey, partner at Pagan Osborne and accredited family law specialist, will chair this year's Child Law Conference in Edinburgh next Monday. The conference will consider the court process, education law, and legal protection for the aspiring parents in surrogacy.
SEMPLE Fraser will hold their eighth annual planning and development conference for the property industry next week. Called "Planning: Changing Climate", the event will look at the 2006 Planning Act and take place in Edinburgh and Glasgow on 30 April and 1 May respectively. For further information and for booking contact: julie.hecht@semplefraser.co.uk
A MOCK employment tribunal will be staged by Morton Fraser on 13 May at the George Hotel in Edinburgh. The event will give employers an insight into how the tribunal process works and help them prepare to defend potential claims. It will also assist them in avoiding claims by highlighting common mistakes. Attendance is free and can be booked by contacting jacques.bock@morton-fraser.com.
AWARDS MACLAY Murray & Spens' intellectual property team has been named Best Scottish intellectual property firm at the prestigious Managing Intellectual Property annual awards. The awards, run by Managing Intellectual Property magazine, are widely recognised as an industry benchmark, with the results based on a survey of industry peers and clients.
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