Advocate and lateral hire become latest Burness Paull partners

An advocate who specialises in planning law, and an experienced insurance solicitor, have both joined Burness Paull as partners, taking the firm's partner total to 70.

Alasdair Sutherland, currently a practising advocate, returns as head of the Planning department to the firm where he was a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team immediately prior to his call to the Scottish bar in 2014. He will become a partner once he is readmitted as a solicitor.

His broad range of experience includes dealing with a range of commercial and residential developments, onshore and offshore wind farms, ports and harbours, promoting and challenging development plans, and compulsory purchase, including claims for compensation.

Most recently, he successfully represented Aberdeen Football Club in resisting a challenge to the development of its new stadium at Kingsford, and Graham’s Dairies in overturning a decision of the Scottish ministers in an important case for the housebuilding industry.

Andrew Forsyth has also been appointed to the partnership. He previously worked at Burness Paull legacy firm Paull & Williamsons early in his career, and joins from the insurance and risk division of Brodies where he built up substantial expertise in marine casualty and disease claims amongst wider general insurance litigation work. He is also involved in non-contentious commercial shipping work including ship finance, charterparties, ship arrest and cargo claims, and holds a postgraduate diploma in Maritime Law from Lloyds Maritime Academy.

Tamar Tammes, managing partner of Burness Paull, said: "As a progressive law firm we are always looking to buck trends and do things differently. Alasdair is a leading planning advocate at the Bar, and for him to return to Burness Paull as head of Planning is hugely exciting."

She added: "Andrew has 14 years of experience in this sector and is a technically outstanding lawyer. Everyone who knows him speaks very highly of his character and work ethic, and his personable nature will be an excellent fit for us. We are certain that our clients will benefit from the expertise that he brings.

"Both of these new appointments are effectively returnees to the firm, which is a real testament to the strength of our culture and reputation as a great place to work."