Six new partners at Burness Paull

Commercial law firm Burness Paull today unveiled six new partners, including five internal promotions and the hire of a lawyer from magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Jody Crockett, a former Burness Paull associate who has spent the last six years with Freshfields, returns as a partner in the firm’s dispute resolution team. Qualified in England & Wales as well as Scotland, he focuses on litigation, resolving cross-border corporate/commercial disputes. He is also experienced in international arbitration and mediation.

The five internal partner promotions are:

Joanna Fulton, qualified in Scotland, England and Hong Kong, specialises in product liability and also advises on cross-border disputes, playing a key role in driving the firm’s international strategy with a particular focus on developing business in China;

Lindsay Wallace, who also becomes the firm’s first general counsel, is a corporate lawyer who has worked in both private practice and in industry, with experience including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial contracts and intellectual property, and who was previously Burness Paull’s director of knowledge and risk management;

Graeme Bradshaw, a key member of the property team, has considerable expertise, knowledge and relationships within the commercial development and retail/leisure sectors, with a particular interest and focus on the opportunities and challenges that technology will bring to the retail environment;

Andrew Christie, in the firm’s banking and funds practice, has extensive experience of fund structuring, establishment and closing, playing a key role in advising private equity houses, City and US firms, and other international clients, as well as borrowers and lenders in relation to fund finance transactions;

Graeme Palmer has a UK-wide profile in public procurement and state aid law, with extensive experience in advising public and private sector bodies, in an area in which Brexit and the free trade deals which the UK Government is intending to secure will increase complexity in a rapidly changing legal environment. 

Other appointments also saw Claire Macpherson recently join the firm’s private capital team as director. Previously with BTO, she brings extensive experience in tax and succession law, focusing on estate planning for UK and international clients.

Burness Paull chairman, Philip Rodney commented: “Our recent promotions demonstrate the depth of talent that is being nurtured through our leadership development programme and our ability to attract top talent from other firms. Each of our new partners will play a key role in developing their own areas of expertise, as well as in the firm’s ambitious growth plans.”