Real estate and renewables specialist Richard Turnbull has joined Shepherd and Wedderburn as a partner, bringing 14 years’ expertise to the firm’s market-leading clean energy and real estate teams.

Richard, who specialises in the property aspects of energy transactions, has extensive experience working for developers, landowners and funders across onshore and offshore wind, wave and tidal, biomass, solar, hydro and energy from waste developments.

His recent experience includes:

• acting on the development of several large onshore wind farms for developers and landowners;
• securing cable routes for offshore wind projects;
• negotiating options and leases for offshore projects;
• providing strategic property advice to offshore developers;
• dealing with the property aspects of wind and solar financing:
• acting on the sale and acquisition of wind and solar projects;
• acting on the development of district heating systems; and
• acting on the development of energy from waste plants.

In addition to his particular expertise advising on energy and infrastructure projects, Richard supports a wide range of clients on major infrastructure projects, land assembly issues, title and property due diligence, securing options to lease, access agreements, property finance, project acquisitions and project disposals throughout the UK.

Dual qualified in Scots and English law, Richard, who is based in Shepherd and Wedderburn’s Edinburgh office, joined from TLT, where he was a partner in the firm’s real estate group. He previously worked at Pinsent Masons, CMS Cameron McKenna, Burges Salmon and Brodies.

Shepherd and Wedderburn’s renewables and real estate teams are both top ranked in the leading, independent legal directories Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500.

Clare Foster, Shepherd and Wedderburn’s Head of Clean Energy, said: “Attracting a renewables real estate specialist of Richard’s calibre, with the experience he brings across so many clean energy sub-sectors and major projects, will be of major benefit to our clients and reflects the firm’s commitment to cementing our position as a market-leading clean energy practice.”