John is a real estate specialist who works with clients in the clean energy and commercial property sectors.
In the energy sector, John has particular experience of major developments involving complex land arrangements, and has worked with multiple developers and landowners in relation to different technology types. This experience has given him the foundations to understand the key commercial and legal considerations at play on both sides.
John also acts for both landlords and tenants in the office and retail sectors, and has considerable experience in acquisitions, disposals and real estate finance.
He is dual-qualified in Scotland and England & Wales.
- Leading the land acquisition campaign on one of Scotland’s first offshore wind development projects. This required close collaboration with the client’s own project team, and with colleagues in the regulatory and consenting departments of our firm.
- Advising a Scottish-based client on all property matters, including a wide variety of land purchases and negotiation of foreshore and seabed rights, including considerations of crofting law and riparian rights.
- Completing a two-year secondment in an in-house legal role at a leading renewable energy developer, working on land and planning aspects of projects across the UK and Ireland.
- Acting for a local authority in connection with a politically sensitive matter involving the sale of the onshore substation site for an offshore wind farm, including negotiation of servitude rights for electricity cables within a complex site assembly.
- Advising a client on aspects of bids to submitted to the ScotWind auction in Scotland and the subsequent Crown Estate Scotland leasing process.
- Acting for a number of onshore renewable developers in connection with their development portfolios, covering a range of different technology types including co-location.
- Acting for developers in connection with the process of taking projects into the delivery phase, dealing with the trigger of option agreements and completion of leases to allow construction of the projects to commence.
- Advising independent connection providers and other developers on private wire projects involving the installation of electricity cables and associated apparatus to serve specific developments.
- Acting for the developer in relation to a portfolio of flexible energy generation projects traditionally developed in industrial and mixed use sites, in addition to working on the sale of the portfolio and individual project financing arrangements.
John has been commended by clients for delivering advice and choices as opposed to simply providing information and highlighting risks. Clients appreciate his genuine interest in the projects he is working on. John has also been praised by clients for providing “solid commercial advice in a timely manner”.
