Burness Paull

Proudly based in Scotland, Burness Paull is a full-service, independent law firm working with leading organisations across the UK and internationally. Burness Paull is the exclusive UK member of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading network of independent law firms. In 2022, Burness Paull topped the corporate legal deals table in Scotland for the sixth year running.

www.burnesspaull.com

Main Areas of Practice

Corporate:  

Burness Paull has the largest specialist deals teams in Scotland. The firm has continued to prove its market-leading position in Scotland and expand its global reach - with a significant proportion of work done worldwide for UK-based clients as well as international investors acquiring companies and equity stakes in the UK.

Energy:  

Burness Paull’s energy practice is built on our deep experience of advising on the legal and commercial issues of global oil and gas and renewable energy projects. The firm's energy lawyers have advised on high-value deals from Norway to Nigeria and have worked in over 100 jurisdictions.

Property:  

The firm’s real estate team is one of the largest in Scotland. It has delivered a number of innovative projects and has strong experience in acquisitions, disposals, finance and development, including investment portfolios and UK-wide financing.

Construction:  

With one of the largest construction law teams in Scotland, Burness Paull offers a truly integrated service in both contentious and non-contentious matters. The team provides advice across the whole spectrum of construction and engineering, from major public sector infrastructure projects to mixed-use commercial developments.

Planning:  

The firm’s planning team works across private and public sectors on a full spectrum of developments. Its work includes planning appraisals, representation on development plans, community consultations, submission of applications, discussions with planning authorities and consultees, preparation and submission of appeals and reviews and appearances at public inquiries and hearings.

Banking:  

Burness Paull’s banking team is recognised for its exceptional track record of leading complex transactions and the delivery of practical solutions and advice. It acts for international and domestic financial institutions, private equity houses and corporate borrowers.

Funds: 

The firm’s 20+ strong team is Scotland’s leading private funds practice. Its client base is made up of City and international law firms and domestic, European and North American fund managers. While the team has built its market-leading reputation on the sponsor side, the last three years have seen the growth and development of a significant investor-side practice.

Litigation:  

Burness Paull’s litigation team is one of the strongest disputes teams in Scotland. It handles high-value, complex cases for international businesses, global conglomerates, government agencies and high-profile individuals. Each of the team’s partners are specialists in their respective fields of IP, property litigation, product liability, insolvency, reputation management, and marine and offshore.

Health and Safety:  

The firm’s health and safety practice provides strategic advice across a range of industries. It supports clients through every stage of H&S litigation, from emergency healthcare response and incident investigation through to representation at inquiries or criminal prosecutions. The team also advises on financial crime and is highly-experienced in representing clients in FAIs.

Employment:  

Burness Paull’s award-winning employment practice is the largest dedicated team in Scotland, advising some of the best-known employers across the UK. The market-leading contentious employment litigation practice includes highly experienced litigators and solicitor advocates, and is fully capable of advising on English employment law matters.

Pensions: 

The firm’s pensions practice advises on M&A, corporate restructuring, alternative funding arrangements and insolvency. It advises trustees and local authorities on all aspects of running pension funds, and insurance companies on the pension products they provide to the market.

Technology:  

Burness Paull’s tech and commercial team has market-leading expertise across a range of specialist tech areas, including outsourcing, procurement, complex commercial contracts, and the use of information. The team includes commercial lawyers with specialisms in IT, IP, information law, FinTech and financial services regulation.

Immigration:

Burness Paull’s immigration team is the market leader in Scotland, acting for public and private sector clients and individuals. The highly specialised team advises on the full spectrum of immigration issues, including the sponsoring of foreign workers and international migrants, relocation to the UK for investment or business start-up purposes, and immigration litigation.

Public Law:  

Burness Paull's public law team focus purely on matters relating to government, the public sector and their relationship to business and society. The team acts for a wide range of private sector companies in respect of their interactions with state bodies and have represented a number of key individuals and groups across all manner of public law challenges.

Family:  

Burness Paull's leading family law experts advise on a range of matters, including divorce and separation agreements, child-related issues arising between separated couples, cohabitation agreements and separation, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, international and cross-border issues, and adoption.

Rural Business: 

Burness Paull’s Rural Business team cover a range of services including transactional business across all rural property types, traditional conveyancing matters, succession planning, business structuring, partnership reorganisation and agricultural holdings.