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Burges Salmon continues growth in Scotland with new partner appointment

Posted: 27th March 2020

The firm appoints Katie Russell as a partner in its Employment team, based in Edinburgh

As part of Burges Salmon’s annual partner promotions, this year sees six appointments across the firm, including Edinburgh-based Katie Russell in its Employment team. These appointments bring the firm’s total number of partners to 96 as of 1 May 2020.

Building on the successful launch of Burges Salmon’s Edinburgh office in May 2019, Katie’s appointment demonstrates the firm’s ongoing commitment to building on its profile in Scotland and to delivering exceptional client service across the UK. The firm has seen significant growth over the past year and is now well-established in Scotland, with a team of 20 including five partners.

Prior to joining Burges Salmon Katie was a partner at Shepherd and Wedderburn in Scotland, based in its Edinburgh office. An experienced advisor in UK employment law, Katie acts for company boards, in-house legal counsel and HR professionals on sensitive HR matters, strategic projects and employment litigation across the UK and internationally. She has expertise in all areas of employment and discrimination law, with particular knowledge of data privacy in an employment context. Katie also regularly advises on corporate reorganisations, outsourcings, acquisitions and disposals, and has particular expertise in the financial sector. Katie is qualified in both Scotland and in England and Wales.

Burges Salmon is also pleased to announce the following five internal appointments to partner:

Catherine de Maid becomes a partner in the firm’s International Private Client team. Catherine leads the firm’s Philanthropy team and specialises in international tax, trusts and estate planning advice for a wide range of clients, from high net worth individuals to leading private banks and other financial trust companies and other institutions.

Also from the firm’s International Private Client team, Emma Heelis-Adams joined Burges Salmon as a trainee. She specialises in providing tax advice to high net worth and ultra-high net worth international clients, advising individuals who are UK resident but not UK domiciled and non-UK residents. She also advises private banks. Emma’s advice covers personal taxation and cross-border succession planning, including drafting Wills to cover assets in multiple jurisdictions.

New partner Patrick Parkin, who also joined the firm as a trainee, specialises in commercial projects, public procurement and regulatory matters, with a focus in Healthcare and Technology. He advises UK and international private sector Healthcare and Technology providers, as well as public sector clients including central government bodies.

Specialising in land and rural property, Ross Simpson will become a partner in the firm’s Real Estate team. Ross’s practice is predominantly landowner focused. His specific areas of expertise are in advising landowners on strategic land (including landowner-led development work), rural property law and Scottish land and estates. His clients include traditional land and estate owners, family trusts, farming partnerships and institutions. Ross is dual qualified to practise in Scotland and England and Wales.

Matt Walker will become a partner in the firm’s Dispute Resolution team. He specialises in managing disputes and handling regulatory investigations and enforcement situations arising out of the finance sector, with a growing practice in the field of accountancy and audit. He also advises businesses on their contentious and non-contentious insurance needs.

Burges Salmon’s Managing Partner, Roger Bull, says: “Our focus at Burges Salmon remains very clear: we are fiercely proud of our independence and we are committed to being an exceptional law firm for our clients and an exceptional place to work for our people. 

“Building on these foundations, I am delighted to announce the appointment of these six fantastic lawyers to the partnership who will each help us continue to deliver this vision.

“Helping us to continue meeting the needs of our clients in Scotland and building on our commitment to the continued growth of both the firm and our long-standing successful Scottish practice, I am really pleased to welcome Katie to the firm.”

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