Dealmakers Awards 2024: Corporate Law Firm of the Year

Corporate Law Firm of the Year: Burness Paull. Sponsored by KPMG

Burness Paul’s corporate mergers and acquisitions team secured a 1 per cent rise in revenue over the year before, helping the firm to win this closely fought category. It advised on more than 150 deals with a cumulative value of more than £5 billion in the qualifying period.

The team advised Di Maggio’s Group on its acquisition of Enoteca Scotland; acted for Hibernian FC on Black Knight Football Club’s investment in the Easter Road club; and worked for FOR EV Limited on the £10 million investment that it secured from The Scottish National Investment Bank.

Shortlisted

Shoosmiths’ team grew its revenue by 68 per cent. The firm acted for the majority shareholders of Engine B in its share sale to the CliftonLarsonAllen UK; for Artificial Lift Performance in the sale of both its Scottish and US entities, and Certara USA in its acquisition of Formedix.

Morton Fraser MacRoberts was formed in the merger of Morton Fraser and MacRoberts in November 2023. The law firm’s lawyers advised Skene Group Construction Services its sale to Hillhouse Group; the shareholders of MEF Group on the sale of the company to Niedax Group, and the shareholders of ecometrica on that company’s sale to EcoOnline UK.

MBM Commercial assisted the Hamilton family in selling their shareholdings in Hamilton Waste & Recycling to Biffa; represented CereProc in its sale to Capacity, and worked for KickICT in its funding negotiations with LDC.

Brodies’ corporate and commercial team secured record income in the qualifying period. It worked with Scottish Enterprise on investing through the Scottish Co-investment Fund and Scottish Venture Fund; advised Three60 Energy on the purchase of Flexlife and Pryme Group, and advised shareholders of Sidey on the sale of 70 per cent of the shares in the company to Inwido.

Addleshaw Goddard’s corporate team generated a 14 per cent rise in income. The firm acted for Brickability Group in its acquisition of Group Topek Holdings; advised on Hillhouse Quarry Group’s acquisition of companies of Skene Group Construction Services, and advised Pryme Group Holdings and Simmons Private Equity on Pryme’s sale to Three60 Energy.