Burness Paull wins place on key legal panel

Burness Paull, the Scottish legal heavyweight, has secured a “high-value” brief to support the body that protects customers of financial firms that have gone bust.

Ewan McIntyre  a very hard-earned appointment. Picture: Contributed

The firm is one of eight appointed by the independent Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) to form its second legal panel following a six-month procurement exercise.

The panel will last for four years and, having previously provided Scots law advice to the FSCS, Burness Paull has had its remit extended by being appointed to the main core legal services lot.

Michael Thomson, head of the firm’s restructuring and insolvency practice, and expert professional negligence and financial services litigator Ewan McIntyre will lead the team supporting the body.

McIntyre said: “This is a very hard-earned appointment that requires complex legal services to be provided for a unique client.

“Being selected for the core services lot alongside some of the UK’s other premier law firms underlines our specialist financial sector expertise and ability to service clients across UK and beyond.”

James Darbyshire, the FSCS’s general counsel, added: “We’re delighted to announce the successful procurement of our new legal panel.

“The number and quality of firms made for an exceptionally strong field and is testament both to the degree to which FSCS’s role is recognised and valued, and to the quality and impact of FSCS’s legal work.

“Against a backdrop of increasing customer expectation and a changing economic and regulatory landscape, I’m confident we’ve got the right mix of legal partners to help us deliver our strategic priorities in the years ahead.”

Burness Paull has more than 500 people and three offices.