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Off the Press

Biggart Baillie Strengthens its Dispute Management Team

Vannan McKellar has been recruited as a partner in Biggart Baillie's Dispute Management Team, as announced by Alasdair Peacock, Biggart Baillie's Managing Partner.  

Van, a partner at Davidson Chalmers for some time, has extensive experience in dispute management, litigation and employment.  His recruitment further strengthens Biggart Baillie's Dispute Management Team.  

Alasdair Peacock commented: "To attract a partner of Van's skill and experience to our Dispute Management Team is a testament to the firm's reputation and further enhances the strength and depth of this side of our business. Van is a quality commercial lawyer and we are delighted to add his well known name to our team and know our clients will be delighted too." 

Biggart Baillie Deal Round Up

Leading Scottish law firm, Biggart Baillie LLP, continues to deliver specialist advice to a wide range of clients both in Scotland and further afield.

The following is a short summary of some of our recent high profile deals, totalling in excess of £50m.   

• Biggart Baillie advised on the sale of Renfrewshire based Gas Measurement Instruments to Battery Ventures, a Boston based multi-stage investment firm which is focusing on technology and innovation worldwide.
  
  GMI is a Renfrewshire based company and a global leader in portable and fixed gas detection products. GMI was founded in 1947 and has been a longstanding client of Biggart Baillie. It has a distribution network that covers more than 50 companies worldwide. GMI will become a new platform for Battery's industrial technology portfolio.
  
  A multi-disciplinary team at Biggart Baillie advised on the corporate, employment, tax and property aspects of the deal.
   
• Wernick Hire recently confirmed the acquisition of Rovacabin and Eventlink from the Harsco Group of Companies.  The acquisition was completed on the 1st June 2011. This acquisition brings the total investment by Wernick Hire in new fleet and freehold depots to over £40 million in the last 18 months and consolidates its position in the top three within the markets that it operates in.
   
• Hendrix Genetics, a leading multispecies breeding company based in The Netherlands, recently acquired Landcatch & LNS (Landcatch Natural Selection) from Lithgows Limited. The Biggart Baillie team advised on the property, pensions, environmental, tax, intellectual property, employment and commercial contracts. 
   
• The Biggart Baillie team advised Loganair on its recent acquisition of Suckling Airways Group Limited. Suckling is to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Loganair and will continue to trade as a separate airline which holds its own licences and approvals.  It operates a fleet of five Dornier 328-100 fast turboprop aircraft on ad-hoc and contract charter flights, servicing an extensive customer base which includes high profile sports teams, political parties, blue-chip corporate clients and other airlines.
   
• Teknek, a world leader in manufacturing contact sheet cleaning and web cleaning solutions has been acquired by Illinois Tool Works (ITW), one of America's leading industrial companies. Teknek will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITW.
  
  The Biggart Baillie team advised Teknek on all corporate, property and employment issues surrounding the deal.

Partner Appointments at TC Young

TC Young are delighted to announce the appointment of two new partners in their Edinburgh office.   Vicky Lewis will develop the firm's growing family law practice and Elaine Leitch will take over the management of the firm's busy employment team.

Andrew Cowan, the firm's Managing Partner says: "Their addition to the firm reflects our commitment to our clients by further enhancing the services we provide."

Harper Macleod's Highland Team is Bolstered 

Leading law firm Harper Macleod LLP, which has one of its three offices in Inverness, has announced the promotion of two lawyers who are key to supporting the Highland community and its businesses. Anne Macdonald, originally from the crofting community of Laide in Wester Ross, was recently promoted to Partner, and Gillian Shaw, based in Inverness, is now an Associate.

A recent winner of Up and Coming Lawyer of the Year, Anne will primarily focus on managing the firm's relationships with community groups, the energy supply chain, crofters and land owners to ensure their needs are being met and voices heard within the renewables sector.

Gillian, who specialises in employment law and discrimination, and lectures on these topics at Inverness College, will continue to help both private and public sector companies on a wide range of employment-related matters, including representation at employment tribunals. 

Harper Macleod Chairman, Professor Lorne Crerar, commented: "The promotions of Anne and Gillian are reflective of our commitment to strengthen and expand our resources to service our growing client base in the Highlands and Islands. These promotions are part of our ambitious strategic plan to significantly grow and develop our dedicated legal resource serving the Highlands and based in Inverness."

Any business people who would like to be more informed about employment matters, such as contractual, disciplinary or TUPE issues, can benefit from Gillian's free Employment Café, held quarterly at Harper Macleod's Inverness office in Cradlehall Business Park.

 
HBJ Gateley Moves Up the Rankings in Chambers and Partners.

National Law firm HBJ Gateley has had 14 of its solicitors ranked in its Edinburgh and Glasgow offices:

• Craig Adamson - Planning
• Neil Addis - Real Estate
• Simon Catto - Sport
• Alastair Cowan - Real Estate
• Miles Ede - Real Estate
• Glen Gilson - Private Client
• Graeme Henry - Restructuring and Insolvency
• David Kirchin - Banking and Finance
• Andrew Ley - Corporate M&A
• James Lowe - Shipping
• Jacqueline McCluskey - Employment
• Alastair Shepherd - Agriculture and Rural Affairs
• Alan Simpson - Energy and Natural Resources
• Tom Speirs - Banking and Finance 

In addition, the firm maintained its Tier one ranking for Social Housing, Banking and Finance had their quality recognised by being promoted to Tier 2. Five other categories also saw a rise in rankings, illustrating the depth of talent and success throughout the Firm.