UK: Harper Macleod Recruits Rival Renewable Energy Team to Target Marine Energy Potential

Harper Macleod LLP has recruited the Renewable Energy team from rival firm McClure Naismith as it makes a significant move into the marine energy sector.

Partner Steven Brown, an expert in emerging wave power technologies, and Associate Michael Johnston join Harper Macleod, Legal Advisers to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, on Monday, 25 March.

The move marks the first lateral hires of Harper Macleod’s current recruitment drive, ‘Just The Beginning’, which was launched with a major advertising campaign in early March and is expected to bring in between 15-20 new faces.

Harper Macleod Chief Executive Martin Darroch said: “Our firm has always taken an innovative approach to ensure we continue to grow during a tumultuous period for the legal market. We offer an ambitious home for talented lawyers and look forward to announcing more recruits across all sectors in the near future.”

The additions see the firm’s award winning Energy & Natural Resources team, headed by Partner David Bone – one of the UKs leading renewables lawyers – add to its market-leading onshore renewables team with expertise in the areas of wave and tidal energy.

David Bone said: “We are delighted to welcome Steven and Michael to the firm. Our Energy & Natural Resources team is already at the leading edge in renewable energy, and we believe marine power will play an increasingly important role in this growth industry.”

Harper Macleod recently opened a new office in Thurso in the very north of Scotland, which places it at the heart of major wave and tidal energy projects being developed in the Pentland Firth, which has the potential to host up to 25% of Europe’s tidal power capacity.

The new team acts for some of the biggest players in the rapidly developing marine energy sector.

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Press release, March 27, 2013; Image: Harper Macleod