Dundas & Wilson
Encyclopedia
Dundas & Wilson LLP is a leading commercial UK law firm with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London. The firm is based in Scotland, but like other large Scottish law firms, it now has an established practice in London, which earns 39% of its total revenues. It is also regularly ranked within the top 50 largest law firms in the UK.
Since 1997, Dundas & Wilson has focused only on commercial clients, having hived-off its private client practice to form another law firm now named Turcan Connell. The firm's main practice areas are financial services, real estate, energy & infrastructure and government & public sector.
Donald Shaw, who joined Dundas & Wilson in 1979, has been the managing partner of the firm since 2006.
In September 2011, it was reported in legal media sources that Dundas & Wilson was considering a merger with London-based law firm Bircham Dyson Bell; however, both firms have subsequently said that the merger will not be going ahead.
The firm was active in Scotland during the 19th century as can be seen from the numerous references to the firm in Court of Session
reports or old Sasine
titles.
Dundas & Wilson became a limited liability partnership
in 2004.
Since 1997, Dundas & Wilson has focused only on commercial clients, having hived-off its private client practice to form another law firm now named Turcan Connell. The firm's main practice areas are financial services, real estate, energy & infrastructure and government & public sector.
Donald Shaw, who joined Dundas & Wilson in 1979, has been the managing partner of the firm since 2006.
In September 2011, it was reported in legal media sources that Dundas & Wilson was considering a merger with London-based law firm Bircham Dyson Bell; however, both firms have subsequently said that the merger will not be going ahead.
Expertise
The independent legal directory Legal 500 ranked Dundas & Wilson as a Tier 1 firm in 2010 in the following areas:- Banking & Finance
- Construction
- Corporate & Commercial
- Commercial Litigation
- Commercial Property (Scotland)
- Education
- Employment
- Energy (Excluding Oil & Gas)
- Insolvency & Corporate Recovery
- Intellectual Property
- IT & Telecoms
- Local Government
- Media & Entertainment
- Pensions
- Planning
- Professional Negligence
- Projects
- Transport
- Unit Trusts, OEICs and investment trusts
History
Dundas & Wilson traces its roots to 1759 when David Erskine founded his own legal practice in Edinburgh. Sir James Dundas of Ochtertyre Clerk to the Signet subsequently joined the practice and, after the death of David Erskine, William Wilson joined the partnership to form Dundas & Wilson. From at least 1841 the firm had offices at 16 St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh. The firm remained at the Square until 1991.The firm was active in Scotland during the 19th century as can be seen from the numerous references to the firm in Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
reports or old Sasine
Sasine
Sasine is the delivery of feudal property, typically land.Feudal property means immovable property, and includes everything that naturally goes with the property. For land, that would include such things as buildings, trees, and underground minerals...
titles.
Dundas & Wilson became a limited liability partnership
Limited liability partnership
A limited liability partnership is a partnership in which some or all partners have limited liability. It therefore exhibits elements of partnerships and corporations. In an LLP one partner is not responsible or liable for another partner's misconduct or negligence. This is an important...
in 2004.