Recommended for major infrastructure projects, delivering ‘outstanding legal skills, experience and expertise’, CMS is at the forefront of the Scottish infrastructure market, acting for a variety of public bodies, multinational developers, and financial institutions. The firm has a notable volume of instructions regarding digital infrastructure and decarbonisation projects, and oversees developments in the transport, maritime, education, and healthcare space. Team lead Ailsa Ritchie is highly regarded for advising on the planning and delivery stages of multi-faceted projects. Amanda Methven is praised for her ‘depth of understanding of PFI and PPP that it is hard to match’, while Shona Frame is singled out for her ‘brilliant tailored and practical advice’. Eleanor Lane lends her transport expertise to major road, rail and maritime ventures, and Fenella Mason, who joined from Burness Paull LLP in September 2023, is highlighted for her construction knowledge. Jenny Durie handles operational PFIs, and Vini Cowden has extensive experience in energy transition and decarbonisation mandates. Kayleigh Purves and hugely experienced senior associate Fiona Scott are also key names to note.

With a client roster featuring a multitude of governmental institutions, international infrastructure groups, and institutional lenders, Pinsent Masons LLP has a UK-wide projects remit that is centred on PPPs, PFIs, and MIMs. The firm acts on various PFI/PPP handbacks within the healthcare, leisure, education and waste management sectors, and adeptly handles the financial, procurement, and developmental aspects of significant early-stage projects. Group lead Stuart Barr is ‘extremely perceptive with the ability to quickly understand the relevant wider context whilst also focusing on the complex details of the issues at hand’; he is the key contact for public bodies and developers.  Michael Allan works closely with clients regarding property and construction issues, and Gillian Frew‘s practice spans lender and borrower project financings across infrastructure and energy ventures. Victoria Miller provides advice to funders on operational issues arising in PFI/PPP developments, while Chris Owens‘ commercial knowledge is ‘second to none’. Graham Young is another name of note for finance advice, while James McDonald has recently focused on the student accommodation space.

Addleshaw Goddard notably expanded into the Scottish infrastructure market with the recent hire of ex-Dentons trio Euan Wilson, Stewart Maciver, and Andrew Orr, a move which allows the firm to advise a host of public authorities and private sector entities. The team oversees the bidding, procurement, development and operational aspects of projects across the social infrastructure, transport, and energy transition spaces, with a growing body of work pertaining to PFI/PPP handbacks. The team is headed up by the ‘outstanding’ Suzanne Moir, who combines development and finance expertise with a strong commercial background. Sophie Black advises a range of public and private sector bodies on the operational and handback issues relating to PFIs and PPPs across various sectors. Daniel McKinney is also a key name to note.

Advising numerous public and private sector clients on projects across the Scottish, English, Irish and Welsh markets, Brodies LLP is active on landmark infrastructure builds, including water and waste, social housing, freeport, school, and hospital projects. The firm advises on the entire project lifecycle and is particularly well geared to act in disputes arising from PFI/PPP handbacks. Practice head Stuart Murray is ‘excellent at cutting through complex issues’ and has strong connections to UK-wide governmental bodies, developers, and financial institutions, whereas co-head Michael Stoneham is chiefly recognised for his project finance expertise, working with leading debt providers. Sarah-Jane McArthur is a go-to name for energy transition and decarbonisation projects. Drysdale Graham retired in 2023.

With a ‘dedicated team that is highly knowledgeable in the field and responsive to challenges and tasks‘, Burness Paull LLP is frequently sought out by public and private sector bodies, overseeing marquee mandates involving education and healthcare PPP/PFIs, major digital infrastructure rollouts, and large-scale transport builds, handling the finance, procurement, development and contentious aspects. The group is led by three individuals: Gavin Paton advises on the full life cycle of projects as well as secondary market transactions; Andrew Little has an extensive construction background; and Chris Horsley has strong commercial acumen. James Forbes is another key name of note with broad construction and engineering expertise. Mark Kirke joined the firm from CMS in May 2023, while Fenella Mason left the firm to join CMS in July 2023.

Well versed in the finance, procurement, development, construction and contentious aspects of complex, multi-faceted projects, Morton Fraser MacRoberts receives instructions from a range of public and private clients involving a multitude of different asset types; the group is notably ‘very strong in legacy PFI covering all the main sectors including education, waste water, highways, MoD and health issues’. Helming the practice is Rod Munro, who is widely lauded for his ‘excellent technical skill set which he seamlessly combines with vast practical experience across multiple sectors’. Duncan Osler predominantly advises public bodies on a range of project finance and procurement mandates and is experienced in the transport and healthcare sectors. Jennifer McKay stands out for contentious PFI/PPP work and has recently been engaged in disputes arising out of defects, delays and performance issues regarding the completion and handback of hospital and school projects. Billy Kay joined the firm from Burness Paull LLP in February 2023, adding further finance capabilities.

Shepherd and Wedderburn is a key player in the Scottish infrastructure market, managing a growing number of instructions concerning the conclusion of expiring PFI/PPP projects, with a particular focus on the contentious aspects. The firm showcases an impressive portfolio of projects, spanning hospitals, student accommodation, schools, roads and railways, urban renewals, and emerging energy transition initiatives. The ‘exceptional’ Stephen Colliston heads up the team and has extensive PFI/PPP experience, acting for an array of public and private sector entities on new and operational projects. Nigel Sievwright is active across the full gamut of infrastructure design, build and financing matters and has a strong understanding of financing and procuring initiatives.

Possessing a ‘unique level of experience in acting for clients in major construction project disputes’, Anderson Strathern handles an array of transport, social infrastructure, and energy transition projects, with particularly strong engagement with public sector bodies and complex contentious issues. Team head Martin Whiteford is noted for his regulatory and commercial acumen and has a practice that straddles renewables and infrastructure mandates. Co-head Pat Loftus is a commercial contracts specialist and works closely with a range of developers, contracts, and public sector bodies, while co-head Audrey Cameron frequently handles procurement and development issues for local authorities, as well as disputes work. Mary Frances O’Neill joined the firm from Brodies LLP in October 2023 and adds further contentious expertise.

Handling the financing, development and construction of a range of projects spanning the healthcare, education, digital infrastructure, and energy transition spaces, Dentons is sought out by multinational clients for UK-wide and European developments and ventures. The firm has significant ties to governmental bodies and local authorities, and also has a strong track record in contentious work. Group lead Gareth Tenner is a go-to for PFI/PPP expertise and has extensive secondary market experience. Mark Macaulay is a construction and procurement specialist and often engages with international projects, while Kirsti Olson is recognised for her disputes expertise. Stewart Maciver, Euan Wilson, and Andrew Orr departed to Addleshaw Goddard.

Harper Macleod LLP handles a diverse stream of infrastructure-related instructions, and has recently seen an uptick in healthcare mandates, with the firm advising across all aspects of NHS projects, from new-build to operational issues. The team also frequently engages with marquee ventures, such as the Aberdeen City Vision Project and the Inverness and Cromarty Green Freeport. Group lead Euan Pirie is widely lauded as ‘extremely knowledgeable in this subject area and very connected to current industry thinking’; he has established strength in contract negotiation regarding large-scale, multifaceted developments. Catriona Kemp spearheads a number of project finance matters, while also playing a crucial part in firm’s wider PFI/PPP and secondary market instructions.