Meticulous preparation. Flawless performance.
However tricky the dispute, we prepare for every twist and turn to make sure you land on your feet.
How can our dispute resolution lawyers help you?
Our dispute resolution lawyers form one of the largest, strongest and most talented commercial litigation teams in Scotland.
We get to know you and your businesses – how you operate and what’s important. We mould our litigating style to suit your case, working tirelessly to achieve your goal.
We can help with high-level strategies; guiding you through an issue to anticipate and avoid problems before they arise. If a dispute is unavoidable, we use all of our experience to fight your corner. Our lawyers will always work with you for the best outcome whether that is by litigation, negotiation, arbitration, mediation or expert determination.
Disputes don’t respect borders, and with the team's partners having worked at some of the world’s largest law firms we can represent clients effectively from our offices in Scotland. For disputes outside the UK, we have invested heavily in developing relationships with the best firms across the world and work seamlessly with them in cross-border and international matters.
We deal with the most important cases for top Scottish and international clients. Governments, global businesses, high-profile individuals - they all turn to us for legal expertise. Clients include JK Rowling, SKY Television, BBC, Vodafone, Abrdn, Johnson and Johnson, Scottish Rugby Union and the Harris Tweed Authority.
Whatever your dispute, we’ve got what it takes to resolve it.
Burness is my go-to firm; it has very good quality and I feel as cared for and valued as a client now as I had on the first day of work.
Chambers UK, 2025
The team is very committed and seeks to pursue all the avenues they can think of to protect clients' interests.
Legal 500, 2024
Key Contacts
Joanna Fulton
Partner
Product Liability
Joanna has a particular focus on product liability and product safety matters, leading our Chambers UK band 1 ranked product liability team.
Neil Smith
Partner
Dispute Resolution
Neil is dual qualified and has expertise in litigation, arbitration and mediation across the UK and internationally.
Colin Hulme
Partner
Intellectual Property
Colin is head of IP, he is the only IP litigator in Scotland with a Band 1 ranking in Chambers UK and in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame.
Alan McMillan
Partner
Real Estate Litigation
Alan heads up the Real Estate Litigation team, he represents clients from the whole spectrum of the property and commercial sectors.
Lynne Gray
Partner
Health & Safety
Lynne handles contentious and non-contentious regulatory compliance issues, helping clients every step of the way.
Jody Crockett
Partner
English Law Disputes
Jody has considerable experience of advising in respect of complex disputes for global and multinational companies across a range of industries.
Andrew Forsyth
Partner
Insurance Litigation
Andrew specialises in the defence of insured claims including personal injury, insurance coverage advice and disputes, maritime claims, transport law.
Ashley Jones
Partner
Professional Negligence
Ashley has a great track record of acting for both professional indemnity insurers and commercial clients in complex, professional negligence claims.
Douglas Blyth
Partner
Dispute Resolution
Douglas has a particular focus on corporate and shareholder disputes, fraud and insolvency litigation, often involving assets and issues across multiple jurisdictions.
Steven Guild
Partner
Real Estate Litigation
Steven is a talented litigator and acts on a wide variety of disputes including; complex contractual disputes, insolvency and real estate litigation.
Gary Moffat
Partner
Dispute Resolution
Gary is one of our most experienced commercial litigators, with particular interests in fraud and insolvency and telecoms.
Stephen Farrell
Partner
Real Estate Litigation
Stephen is dual qualified and has experience in high-value commercial, property, sports and telecommunication disputes.
Debt Recovery
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Areas of Expertise
Class Actions
Class actions are a serious risk for any consumer-facing business.
Corporate Crime
Working with you to manage the risks of corruption and other white collar corporate crimes.
Cyber Attacks & Data Breaches
Mitigating the risks of, and responding to, cyber security incidents.
English Law Disputes
Managing disputes under English law, within the UK and beyond.
International Arbitration
We work closely with our clients on strategy and representation in disputes.
Restructuring & Insolvency
Offering the support you need to meet the challenges of today’s economic climate.
Insurance Litigation
Acting for and against insurers in policy coverage and other insurance related disputes.
Intellectual Property
Safeguarding the intellectual property of iconic brands globally.
Product Liability
Advising UK and global corporates on product quality and safety issues.
Professional Negligence
Advising clients and their insurers in pursuing and defending professional negligence disputes.
Professional Discipline and Disputes
Providing holistic advice to guide you through professional disputes.
Marine & Shipping
Advising vessel owners, P&I clubs and ports on major marine incidents and disputes.
Real Estate Litigation
Collaborating with you to help manage risks and disputes arising from your real estate assets.
Health & Safety
Expert advice on workplace safety duties, incident investigations and enforcement action.
Related News, Insights & Events
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The increased cyber risks around the Christmas and New Year period.
Restructuring plans: The new tool of choice for Scottish businesses in financial distress?
The most recent government figures show that the number of corporate insolvencies in Scotland continues to rise.
Burness Paull advises on Scotland’s first contentious restructuring plan
09/12/2024
Burness Paull’s restructuring and insolvency team advised garden centre group Dobbies on Scots law aspects of its restructuring plan.
