Legal update

PEOPLE

ABERDEEN-based firm Paull & Williamsons has announced the appointment of Stuart Robertson as partner in its employment department, where he will work in the dispute resolution group. Elsewhere in the company, Alasdair Smith has been promoted to partner in the business services team.

BRODIES has announced the appointment of six new partners in its litigation and property departments. Rachel Grant has been recruited from Semple Fraser to join Karen Hamilton as a partner in the litigation team, and Alix Bearhop, Alex Buchan and Phil Hunter are promoted in the property group.

THREE new partners have been appointed at Shepherd+ Wedderburn. Fiona Paterson has been promoted in the insolvency and restructuring group, Philip Knowles in the corporate finance team and Gordon Hay in banking and finance. The promotions take the total number of partners in the firm to 72.

BURNESS has announced the recruitment of DLA Piper’s two Scottish construction partners, Fenella Mason and Sandra Cassels.

LISA Gregory, a partner of Balfour + Manson based in Aberdeen, has been reaccredited as a specialist in personal injury law by the Law Society of Scotland. There are just six accredited personal injury specialists in the North-East, and 53 across Scotland.

NEWS

HBJ Gately Wareing has announced proposals that would see it merge with maritime and commercial firm Holmes Hardingham. The merger, which would create a specialist shipping and transport practice in London, is expected to be concluded by June 2008 following the production of a memorandum of understanding between the companies. The proposed new group will operate from Edinburgh, London and Dubai and will consist of 26 lawyers.

GLADEDALE Capital has announced that Morton Fraser has pre-let four floors of the new office development being constructed at Quartermile. The firm has signed a 15-year lease on more than 35,000 sq ft of office space and will relocate from its existing offices on Queen Street. Construction began on the office building earlier this year and it is expected to be completed in October 2009.

EDINBURGH firm Skene Edwards will celebrate its 150th anniversary this year by sponsoring the annual exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy. Running from 10 May to 25 June, the exhibition will showcase 350 works by established and emerging Scottish artists. Skene Edwards has also been a legal adviser and patron of the academy for more than 100 years.

THREE charities will benefit from the efforts of staff at DLA Piper Scotland over the next year. The firm has announced a £10,000 target for the fundraising drive that will raise money for Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, Quarriers, and the Rock of Joy Trust, a charity with particular significance for the firm as it is run by the parents of DLA solicitor Laura Craig.

EVENTS

CONSTRUCTION law is the subject of Axiom Advocates latest in the Third Thursday lecture series, to be held on 15 May. Chaired by Heriot Currie QC, the event will see talks from James Wolffe QC on dispute settlement and Garry Borland on implied terms in construction contracts. The event is free but places must be booked. For details and to book, contact

THE Law Society’s latest risk-management roadshow will take place in Dundee on Wednesday. The evening event will examine a number of risk issues by examining case studies and will be applicable to every area of legal practice. The roadshow will be held at the city’s Apex City Quay Hotel and places can be booked online at: www.lawscot.org.uk

THE AGM of the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association will be held in Edinburgh on Wednesday. Guest speaker Robert Scott-Dempster of Gillespie Macandrew will talk on access rights arising out of the Land Reform Act, and discuss three specific “right to roam” cases. The meeting – which is being held at Dynamic Earth – will also be addressed by Michael Russell, MSP, the environment minister.

THE Murray stable of advocates will host a launch event for its public, administrative and human rights law group on 29 May. Held at the Faculty of Advocates offices at Old Assembly Close, Edinburgh, the event will feature John Mitchell QC and Ailsa Carmichael speaking on the dos and don’ts of running a judicial review case. The event is free but places should be reserved from: