Aberdein Considine has strengthened both its private client and banking litigation teams with the appointment of a new partner and new associate.

James MacKinnon has joined the firm as Partner and Head of Private Client for Edinburgh. He was previously Legal Director at Gillespie Macandrew LLP.

James has almost 15 years’ experience providing advice on wills, powers of attorney and the administration of executries and trusts. James specialises in providing clients with tax efficient solutions in passing on wealth to future generations, both in lifetime and on death. He provides expertise in all aspects of the formation, administration and termination of trusts, including the legal and tax implications of the use of trusts in succession planning and asset protection.

He provided guidance on the implications of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) on trustees which was adopted by the Law Society of Scotland and he continues to provide advice to trustees, including charitable trustees, on their reporting obligations under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS).

He is a member of STEP, serving as secretary on their Scottish Branch Committee. He has also tutored on the Private Client Course of the Diploma of Legal Practice at the University of Edinburgh.

Jacqueline Law, Managing Partner, Aberdein Considine said: “James is one of the foremost experts in his field, and his knowledge and experience is highly regarded.

He will be a huge asset to both the firm and our clients and we’re delighted to have him join our existing Private Client team.”

In addition to James, the firm has appointed John Di Paola as an Associate in the banking litigation team.

John joins the firm’s Lender Services Practice Group from the Ascent Performance Group.

He will be based at Aberdeen Considine’s flagship Waterloo Street office in Glasgow and brings with him extensive experience in litigation.

He specialises in the recovery of heritable property, banking litigation and debt recovery, has appeared regularly in the Sheriff Courts throughout Scotland and also has experience in the Sheriff Appeal Court and Court of Session.

Myra Scott, Head of the Lender Services Practice Group at Aberdein Considine said: “We’re delighted to have someone of John’s calibre and expertise joining the team as an Associate. He will be a great asset as we continue to support our clients in a continually changing and complex area of the law.”

The Lender Services Practice Group, which deals with banking litigation, represents the majority of the UK’s banks and financial institutions, including Royal Bank of Scotland, Nationwide Building Society and Lloyds Banking Group.

Aberdein Considine announced the appointment of two new partners, Myra Scott and Laura Browne, to the Lender Services Practice Group in February 2018.