Brodies LLP is geared to support on the full spectrum of commercial property matters, due not least to the group’s wider expertise in planning, tax, environment, construction, and property litigation. Seasoned development and investment deal expert Johane Murray heads the practice, which has enjoyed a recent uptick in the build-to-rent (BTR) and life sciences fields. Managing partner Nick Scott is noted for his office, retail, leisure, student accommodation and industrial acumen. Clients seek Richard Whyte‘s investment knowhow, an area in which Allan Cairns is also an essential contact, particularly in respect of offshore acquisitions. James Roscoe‘s expertise extends to forward funding, property finance and corporate occupier matters, while Colin Morrison is a regular advisor to international investors, retailers, hotel and leisure operators.

Drawing on its expertise in investment, development, regeneration, finance and corporate occupier mandates, Burness Paull LLP is active across the full remit of real estate assets. The practice is led from Glasgow by Scott Peterkin, who has a particular focus on property development work within the housebuilding sector. Also renowned for his development acumen is Richard Rennie, who draws on his dual qualification in England and Scotland to further assist with investment mandates. Among other standout partners are Nick Naddell, an individual with investment, forward funding and landlord and tenant expertise, and commercial leasing specialist Graeme Bradshaw, a regular advisor to occupiers, developers, and investors in the retail and leisure sectors.

CMS‘s practice is headed by Paul Carter, an expert in development, funding and investment matters; he and the team are well-versed in all facets of real estate, catering to a mixture of clients from the student accommodation, life sciences, public sector, leisure and BTR fields, among others. Iain Doran combines his vast development expertise with support in rent review disputes and distressed portfolio deals, whereas Allan Wernham is a regular port of call for major regeneration projects in the retail sector. Further standout individuals include Darina Kerr, an expert in commercial property transactions, and of counsel Roland Smyth, head of the firm’s hotels and leisure group in Scotland.

Pinsent Masons LLP handles an abundance of high-end investments, cross-border portfolio transactions, and commercial and residential developments. Practice head Katharine Hardie is an essential contact in the latter space, with a particular focus on the private sector; she is further noted for her expertise in regeneration projects. Also recommended for his specialism in development is Paul Connolly, while Russell Munro‘s capabilities extend to investment and finance affairs. Drawing on his dual qualification in England and Scotland, Martin Devine is knowledgeable of a broad spectrum of asset classes, including BTR projects and international transactions in the hotel and healthcare sectors.

Shepherd and Wedderburn is often engaged on large-scale development, investment, acquisition and regeneration affairs, with particular expertise in the residential, retail, hotel, industrial, tech, manufacturing and renewable energy sectors. The Glasgow-based Andrew Hall specialises in residential developments and anchors the firm’s housebuilding group, advising housebuilders and landowners on the purchase and disposal of sites. Fellow co-head David Mitchell, the main contact in Edinburgh, has extensive experience acting on office, retail and mixed-use developments across Scotland. Also in Edinburgh, Scott Ritchie is recommended for his expertise in commercial development projects.

Addleshaw Goddard‘s team co-head Miles Ede specialises in UK-wide asset management and portfolio transactions, investment deals, and commercial and residential development projects; he has considerable experience in the telecoms sector. Fellow co-head and development expert Alison Newton is a go-to for leasing and regeneration affairs and is active across the office, retail, student accommodation, hotels and leisure fields.

Although Burges Salmon LLP operates across a broad range of real estate assets, the team demonstrates particular accomplishment in respect of hospitality, leisure and renewable energy assets. Practice head and co-founder of the Edinburgh office Robert Forman is a regular advisor to developers, funders and investors in acquisition, disposal, leasing, development and secured lending matters. Director Claire MacLean provides the team with more firepower in investment and development transactions, as well as landlord and tenant agreements.

Embedded in its UK-wide real estate practice, Dentons runs a broad workload and is adept in leasing, transactional, funding and development matters. Practice head Brian Hutcheson has considerable experience in the BTR, office, retail, hotels and leisure, logistics and student accommodation fields. A further standout individual is Barry Edgar, an all-rounder who acts on development, leasing and investment endeavours; he demonstrates particular expertise in transport-related projects.

Morton Fraser MacRoberts‘ real estate and infrastructure practice (the result of the late-2023 merger between Morton Fraser and MacRoberts LLP) draws from the firm’s wider construction, planning, banking and finance, corporate and litigation expertise to support on development, investment, finance, management and property insolvency endeavours. The team has a wealth of experience across the retail, leisure, office, student accommodation, and BTR fields. In addition, industrial and care assets are also expertly handled, owing to the knowledge of Chris McLeish. Practice head Michael Ramsay is a regular advisor to developers, corporate occupiers, investors and funders. Following the merger, Gillian Campbell, Kelsey Gibson, Douglas Lamb and Lisa Frost are also key members of the practice.

Accredited commercial leasing specialist Anne McGregor heads Anderson Strathern‘s practice; she has considerable experience in development and investment projects and is a regular advisor to institutional landlords. Active across both the public and private sectors, the team is also home to Ruth Maclean, an established caterer to housebuilders, Deborah Lovell, a go-to in the sale and purchase of land for development, and the public sector-focused, Euan Mellor.

At Davidson Chalmers Stewart, the workload comprises development, investment and commercial leasing mandates; the group have observed a notable uptick in work pertaining to the housebuilding and healthcare sectors. With the experienced Andrew Chalmers at the helm, the team counts UK and international investment funds, developers and leisure operators to its client roster. Gavin Maclean is noted for his expertise in the fields of retail and leisure, while Bruce Lancaster‘s capabilities further encompass forward funding agreements. Andy Tyler joined as partner coming from Burness Paull LLP in August 2023.

At DWF, team co-head Kevin McGlone is accomplished in respect of hotel, leisure, healthcare and student accommodation assets, acting across leasing, finance, transactional and development matters. Fellow co-head David Ratter has considerable experience in strategic land development, investment and regeneration endeavours, while Geoff Stansfield is noted for his specialism in asset management, funding and cross-border portfolio matters. As a whole, the practice leverages the firm’s broader planning, construction, banking, finance, corporate and tax expertise.

Gillespie Macandrew LLP caters to a broad client roster which includes retailers, leisure outfits, occupiers, developers, lenders and housebuilders, with residential development expert Harry Smith serving as the main point of contact within the latter space. Team head Kenny Irons‘ expertise spans development, investment and leasing mandates; he has also garnered extensive exposure to cross-border transactions, an area in which landlords also further instruct all-rounder Gregor Peebles. Andrew Leslie was promoted to legal director in March 2022.

Lindsays is geared to support across a breadth of investment, occupier, development, finance and transactional matters. The team counts a number of well-known retailers among its client roster and has observed a notable uptick in work stemming from the healthcare sector, an area in which Kenny Gray excels alongside office and hotel-related transactions. Practice head Derek Nash is an established name in both the Scottish and London markets.

Residential and commercial development expert Janette Speed heads Shoosmiths‘ practice, which boasts a number of living sector, retail and leisure clients to its roster. Elsewhere, the group’s expertise spans corporate occupier, finance and investment mandates, with Glasgow office head Barry McKeown noted for his housebuilding sector specialism. Notable additions to the team include Lyndsey O’Connor from Dentons in February 2022, and Ian McCann from CMS in April 2022.

Aberdein Considine‘s broad expertise spans investment, development, regeneration, asset management, insolvency and finance affairs with recent work spanning the food and drink, retail, leisure, hospitality and housebuilding sectors. Team head Paul Jennings‘ personal practice often sees him handling sales, acquisitions and lettings at commercial offices, while David Orr is noted for his knowledge of retail and industrial assets in finance and transactional matters. In a notable change, Chris Richardson joined from Anderson Strathern in November 2022.

BTO Solicitors LLP operates across a wealth of assets, including retail, housebuilder, renewables, social housing, hotel and leisure sites, with Graeme Kelly serving as an essential contact in the latter space. Practice head Jane Steel is well-versed in investment affairs, although the team’s wider capabilities span development, finance, and estate management and diversification matters. Other recommended individuals include firm chairman David Gibson, an expert in matters with a corporate crossover, and Scott Buchan, whose recent work includes BTR projects.

Eversheds Sutherland directs particular emphasis towards development, investment, corporate occupier and finance work, though also has a strong track record in leasing and portfolio management affairs. Drawing on his dual qualification in England and Scotland, team head Steven Dick handles an abundance of development deals; his practice places particular focus on the energy transition.

Helmed by Simon Etchells, an expert in development and investment affairs, gunnercooke LLP is well-placed to handle student accommodation, retail, leisure, office and restaurant assets. Etchells and the group often draw on the firm’s wider banking, finance, construction, corporate and litigation expertise. Having joined the firm from Dentons in March 2022, Rachel Dunn leverages her dual qualification in England and Scotland to support on the Scottish aspects of national and international deals.

Often instructed to assist with development, investment, finance and leasing matters, Harper Macleod LLP is active across a number of real estate assets, including residential, retail, healthcare, hospitality, leisure and telecoms sites. John Meehan heads the practice, which also includes David Bell and Chris Noble, both of whom are accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as specialists in commercial leasing law.

TLT‘s team head Brian Armour specialises in landlord and tenant work, as well as transactional and development matters; he also has experience handling retail sites, offices, factories and owner-occupied commercial premises. The practice is also home to Howard Beach, who is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Commercial Leasing Law. Other recommended individuals include Donna Strong, an expert in the retail and leisure sectors, and Andrew McCowan, reputed for his leasing, development and investment work.

Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP‘s broad workload spans development, acquisition, sale, portfolio and leasing matters. The practice is a go-to for distillery and brewery clients in the Highlands, though is also well-placed to handle retail, healthcare, renewables, leisure and hospitality assets elsewhere. Among the team are practice head Michael Dewar, a regular advisor to owners in office park and industrial developments, and Joanne Ockrim, an expert in leasing, secured lending and investment endeavours.

Bellwether Green's real estate team is led from Glasgow by firm co-founder John Bingham; he works alongside Steven Templeton. Together, the duo handle transactions, refinancings and lettings, acting for a roster of clients which includes major property groups, banks, professional services firms and other well-known corporates.

Key strengths of Blackadders LLP include development, investment, sale, acquisition, leasing and portfolio management matters, with an increasing number of instructions stemming from the retail and leisure sectors. Fraser Hardie left the firm in March 2023 and subsequently took on an in-house role at CalaChem, and Azeem Arshad departed for Spencer West in August 2023.

Thorntons caters to a mixture of clients from the education, social housing, retail and healthcare sectors. Gary Thomas‘ extensive experience spans acquisitions, disposals and fund work, while Ian Fraser is noted for his leasing expertise. Aimee Gibbons is also recommended for her involvement in investment, development and portfolio management affairs.

Drawing on its presence across Scotland and throughout the UK, the team at Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP is well-versed in leasing, transactional, development and finance affairs; it also demonstrates particular expertise across energy, retail and office assets. Paul Mason is a key point of contact and counts finance and energy-related endeavours among his core strengths.