News

A senior team from Aberdeen’s leading commercial law firm Paull & Williamsons will join a high-level Scottish delegation at MIPIM 2009.

The MIPIM 2009 conference (March 10-13) is the world’s premier property and real-estate platform with more than 29,000 participants from 89 countries gathering for a series of seminars and networking events.

Paull & Williamsons’ head of property services Colin MacLaren and property partner Richard Goodfellow will be part of Team Scotland – a Scottish Development International initiative that has been set up to attract international investors to Scotland. Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and leading Scottish property development companies will also be part of the Team Scotland initiative.

Paull & Williamsons will be joined by lawyers and accountants from three other firms from the UK and the US, who are all part of the TAG Property Group a real estate speciality group that provides a global network of legal and accountancy services. Through its connection with the global legal network TAGLaw, Paull & Williamsons has been able to represent clients throughout the UK and Europe and further afield. The TAG Property Group at MIPIM also includes New York law firm Herrick Feinstein, London firm Boodle Hatfield and UK business advisory practice DTE Group.

Richard Goodfellow commented: “MIPIM 2008 was an extremely successful event for Scottish businesses and the exhibition is without doubt the world’s leading meeting place for investors and property professionals to network and discuss opportunities and ideas.

Richard added: ““The Scottish property market has fared better than elsewhere and with sterling much weaker against the dollar and euro than it has been for many years, Scotland has become even more attractive to international investors. The volatility in the banking market also means that for cash-rich investors there are opportunities for some excellent deals.

“Through our firm, we can oversee a range of international activity without the investor or developer having to engage their own legal team in each country. The network also gives us access to some of the best accountancy advice available and access to offshore vehicles for property transactions.”

Joining Colin and Richard is one of New York’s most respected real-estate lawyers Carl Schwartz, of Herrick Feinstein. Carl will speak at a business breakfast event on March 12, which will be hosted by Paull & Williamsons in conjunction with Scottish Enterprise who are backing the SDI initiative. An eminent real estate lawyer with the NY firm, Carl has an impressive CV. His firm acted for creditors in the Lehman Brothers Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings last year and is therefore well placed to talk about the origins of the current economic climate and its consequences.

The TAG Property Group will be hosting a reception in the Scotland Suite on La Croisette on March 11. Delegates wishing to attend the reception on March 11 or to obtain information about other SDI events, which will feature at MIPIM this year should contact Dawn Shand at Paull & Williamsons (01224) 621621.