LEGAL
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Damien Bechelli
Position: Corporate partner Recent deals: Acting for AAMP of America on its acquisition of the Armour Automotive division of consumer electronics group Armour Group plc; acting for the venture capital arm of one of the world’s largest private companies on its first UK investment; acting for an Edinburgh-based high-growth technology company on its follow-on equity funding rounds; acting for a private equity-backed retail sector client on its acquisition of a trade competitor; acting for two European investment funds on their corporate acquisition in the renewable energy sector; acting for a global animal genetics company on two corporate acquisitions; acting for the management team of a successful Glasgow engineering group in connection with its management buy-out and refinance.
David Gilchrist
Position: Corporate partner Career history: Partner with DWF since 2010. He has a strong track record in share and asset acquisitions/disposals, corporate restructures, joint ventures, investments/funding and corporate governance, with a particular focus in the energy and transport sectors. Recent deals: Advising a major Chinese investor on the acquisition and disposal of various solar parks/SPVs and advising on the acquisition and financing of aircraft for a regional airline.
Grant Docherty
Position: Head of banking and finance (Scotland) Career history: Qualified 1988 McClure Naismith, moved to Hong Kong in 1990 working for Johnson Stokes & Master and then as a partner with Deacons. Returned to Scotland and joined Biggart Baillie as partner and head of banking and finance in 2006. Specialises in banking and finance matters. Recent deals: Acting for Apex Hotels Ltd in its £79,400,000 refinancing with the Royal Bank of Scotland plc.
Gary MacDonald
Position: Corporate partner Qualifications: LLB (1st Class Hons); DIP LP Career history: Maclay Murray & Spens 19962005; RBS Group 2005-2007; Pinsent Masons 2007-2014. DWF 2014-current. Has extensive experience in corporate finance, including M&A, investments, joint ventures, restructuring and corporate governance matters. Advises clients, many large corporates, across sectors, particularly energy and financial services.
Chris McLauchlan
Position: Banking partner Qualifications: LLB (First Class Hons); Dip LP. Career history: 2014 to date, DWF, partner; previously of Freshfields, Minter Ellison and McGrigors. Specialises in UK and cross-border corporate lending, leveraged finance, real estate finance and debt restructuring. Recent deals: Acting for RBS, Barclays and Bank of America in relation to the Liverpool Football Club facilities; acting for PPF in relation to the facilities for the acquisition of Czech Telecom; acting for Morgan Stanley in relation to the facilities for the acquisition of an Irish office portfolio and the refinancing of an English shopping centre portfolio; acting for the lenders in relation to the restructuring of PrimaCom; acting for Bridgepoint in relation to the restructuring of Rodenstock; and acting for Blackstone in relation to the acquisition of Multi Corporation
HARPER MACLEOD LLP
The Ca’d’oro, 45 Gordon Street, Glasgow G1 3PE Telephone: 0141 221 8888 Fax: 0141 226 4198 Email: info@harpermacleod.co.uk Website: www.harpermacleod.co.uk Twitter: twitter.com/harpermacleod Blog: www.harpermacleod.co.uk/blogs Office locations: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Thurso Deal types undertaken: Early stage/start-up; structuring and restructuring; mergers and acquisitions; EBO/MBO/MBI/BIMBO; employee incentivisation; financing and refinancing; and corporate recovery/reconstruction. Harper Macleod is a dynamic law firm with a reputation for its commercial approach. Among Scotland’s leading dealmakers, in the past year alone the corporate team has advised on more than 100 deals with a total value in excess of £1bn, acting in 18 jurisdictions around the world. The team has particular expertise in family/employeeowned businesses and early-stage/high-growth investment. The third-largest legal partnership in Scotland, Harper Macleod was the legal adviser to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, advising on the full spectrum of legal services to assist Glasgow 2014 in hosting the hugely successful event. Harper Macleod was named Firm of the Year 2014 at the Scottish Legal Awards, the seventh time it has won such a title in the past eight years. CA MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2014
Donald Munro
Position: Partner Age: 43 Qualifications: LLB (Hons), DipLP, NP Career history: Partner and head of corporate team; partner, 1999; associate, 1998; trainee, 1993. Recent deals: Advising Everwarm, an energy services firm with a turnover of £46m, on its merger with the Lakehouse Group (creating group with annual sales circa £240m) – advised Everwarm, Scotland’s fastest-growing business in 2013, from start-up through to merger; advising Webhelp Group following £77m acquisition of contact centre company HeroTSC. Advising various family businesses and business families in respect of their interests, including Optical Express, Connelly Security Systems and Kent Foods.
Tom Thomas
Position: Partner Age: 50 Qualifications: LLB, dual qualified (Scotland, and England and Wales) Career history: Partner in corporate team since 2001; previously of British Steel; McClure Naismith; Henderson Boyd Jackson; Stoneham Langton & Passmore. Recent deals: Advising Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in relation to the implementation of its £146m next generation broadband project, acting as lead adviser on the underlying contract between HIE and BT; advising Glasgow 2014 Ltd, the Organising Committee for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in relation to its host broadcast agreement and the broadcast agreements with Commonwealth territory broadcasters; advising Forestry Commission Scotland in relation to various wind and hydro scheme renewable energy joint ventures; advising the SPFL in relation to its broadcast agreements with Sky, BT Sport, MG ALBA and the BBC respectively, advising the founders of the Enduro World Series in relation to the formation and operation of the enduro mountain bike world series; advising Webhelp and its UK group on various corporate and commercial matters.
Christopher J Kerr
Position: Partner Age: 37 Qualifications: LLB (Hons), DipLP, NP Career history: Partner in corporate team since 2004. Splits his time between Inverness and Glasgow. Acting mainly for familyowned and owner-managed SMEs in the Highlands and Islands, and central belt of Scotland in relation to sales, acquisitions, joint ventures, mergers and share restructuring matters. Recent deals: Acting for A P Jess Group on various sale and joint venture matters; acting for the Clyde Group of companies on a secondary management buy-out; acting for Professional Data Management Services in the purchase of business and assets from Maxima Information Group; acting for Arriva UK Trains on various matters.
Paula Skinner
Position: Partner Age: 35 Qualifications: LLB, DipLP Career history: Partner in corporate team since April 2011. Previously worked in house at a venture capitalist and within the investment team at Scottish Enterprise. Specialises in advising entrepreneurs with start-ups and investment, particularly high-growth start-ups. Leads the firm’s relationship with business accelerator Entrepreneurial Spark. Also advises on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and restructuring. Recent deals: Acting for Jumpstart in relation to £3.2m investment by Business Growth Fund; Kelvin Capital in relation to £550k investment into QED Naval Ltd; Maven Capital Partners in relation to a £750k investment in Biofilm Holdings; PlanBee Ltd in relation to a unique investment of £175k which included crowdfunding, public sector funding and angel investment; Zonefox in relation to £450k investment from Archangel, Tri-Cap and Scottish Investment Bank; founder of Alphastrut in relation to a sale of the majority to a company within the Murray Metals Group.
Tony Cameron
Position: Partner Age: 38 Qualifications: LLB (Hons), DipLP Career history: Partner in banking and finance team since 2012. Previously worked at MacRoberts and has also spent time working within the corporate and structured finance team of a major UK bank. Specialises in acting for both lenders and borrowers in a wide range of transactions including acquisition finance, project finance and restructuring/ refinancing across various sectors. Recent deals: Acting for the Optical Express group of companies on a range of matters; advising on the provision of funding to JG Distillers; acting for Scottish Loan Fund in relation to funding provided to Biofilm Ltd; advising Dundee United Football Club in relation to the restructuring of its banking arrangements; advising on the provision of funding to Speyside Distillers Company; acting on the sale of the majority of the share capital of Alphastrut Ltd to a company within the Murray Metals Group.
James McGregor
Position: Partner Age: 35 Qualifications: LLB (Hons), DipLP Career history: Partner in corporate team since 2014, having joined the firm in 2012. Previously worked with DLA Piper and Shepherd