09 September 2010
bto is pleased to report impressive rankings in the latest edition of The Legal 500.
The firm has successfully retained its band 1 position for commercial property (leisure & hospitality), health & safety, medical negligence (defender), personal injury (defender) and social housing. It has also risen to the top tier for Professional Negligence with both Derek Allan and Alan Eadie being described as “highly respected”.
bto’s significant presence in the insurance market has been reinforced by these top rankings: bto’s Health & Safety team, led by Criminal Solicitor Advocate Clare Bone, is distinguished for its“combination of technical mastery with commercial realism.” The overall level of service provided by bto’s Medical Negligence team is described as “extremely high, indeed exemplary,” and Douglas Jessiman and Laura Donald are highly recommended, with mention being given to their work for the medical defence organisations. The first-rate personal injury team is mentioned as led by the “well-respected Louise Hay.”
bto continues to demonstrate notable progress with its substantial debt recovery team rising to band 2 in Scotland this year. The retail division of the firm’s commercial property team has moved up to band 3 and the commercial property team is praised with the firm having a culture that is“second to none” and all the solicitors having “the highest regard for client service”. The firm’s insolvency and corporate recovery team is another to have moved up a band this year.
New rankings have also been secured in 2010. bto has done exceptionally well in joining the Energy category with clients praising the firm for providing “outstanding value for money”, and Ralph Riddiough and James Dickson being noted as key partners in the team. Paul Motion’s regular advice to the entertainment sector, and his 2009 and 2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows on copyright and contracts, undoubtedly assisted bto in gaining a new ranking for media and entertainment and bto’s property litigation team was ranked for the first time. In addition, the hard work of Ann O’Connell, an accredited specialist in Construction law, and her team has successfully gained bto a new ranking for construction.
Representatives of bto’s ADVantage advocacy team were praised in the Scottish Bar section: Paul Motion noted as an active solicitor advocate in IP/IT and Wendy Thomson is specifically mentioned within the personal injury category.
Willie Young, bto’s Chairman, said: “We are delighted with our new rankings, in particular the positive comments regarding our solicitors’ approach to clients and clients’ praise for receiving an exemplary service and value for money. It is also great to be acknowledged for our work in the renewable energy and construction sectors.”