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Latest news and insights

Gillespie Macandrew announced as Women in Wellies podcast sponsor, supporting women in rural Scotland

Read full details on our sponsorship of the Women in Wellies podcast series.

Does a new dawn await Scotland’s grid infrastructure?

Read insights from Derek McCulloch, Head of Energy at Gillespie Macandrew, on the critical shift in how we power our nation.

Co-location of technologies: A new, sophisticated approach to sites

Amy McDowell, Partner, Energy and Strategic Land, outlines why co-location offers many benefits, however, careful planning and considerations are crucial.

Latest news and insights

20 May 2025 | Time to read: 2 mins

Gillespie Macandrew announced as Women in Wellies podcast sponsor, supporting women in rural Scotland

By Lizzie McFadzean

Read full details on our sponsorship of the Women in Wellies podcast series.

20 May 2025 | Time to read: 4 mins

Does a new dawn await Scotland’s grid infrastructure?

By Derek McCulloch

Read insights from Derek McCulloch, Head of Energy at Gillespie Macandrew, on the critical shift in how we power our nation.

16 May 2025 | Time to read: 4 mins

Co-location of technologies: A new, sophisticated approach to sites

By Amy McDowell

Amy McDowell, Partner, Energy and Strategic Land, outlines why co-location offers many benefits, however, careful planning and considerations are crucial.

01 May 2025 | Time to read: 6 mins

Land Reform Bill – What is the current status? 

By Robert Scott-Dempster

The Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of the general principles of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill and the Bill will now move to Stage 2. Following its introduction on...

Derek McCulloch

Partner, Head of Energy & Strategic Land

Derek has over 20 years of experience advising and counselling global and domestic businesses on their major corporate, land and energy projects on a UK and international level.

Derek has project managed the delivery of legal services on several infrastructure and renewable energy projects both onshore and offshore, each valued in the hundreds of millions. Recently, he has led and advised on several significant M&A deals and strategic energy portfolio investments including the sale of Rio Tinto’s UK Smelter and power operations. He has a track record in advising on natural resource regulation, low carbonisation projects, university commercialisation, and complex joint venture and consortium deals.

He is a non-executive board member and trustee for a number of organisations and up to March 2020, held the position of Honorary Consul of the Republic of Korea in Scotland.

Derek co-ordinates international cross border projects and trade and is Chair of the global legal network, Lexwork International in Europe and Asia.

Clients comment that he provides a real understanding of all sides of every issue, as well as possessing great business acumen and an innate appreciation of project risk.

Sector experience includes:

  • UK external legal advice lead on M&A sale of Rio Tinto UK Smelter & Power operations in Scotland and England (£330m)
  • Co-ordinating external legal advice on c.450MW Viking Energy Wind Farm project on Shetland
  • Co-ordinating Scottish legal advice on acquisition of 49% share of 24 wind farms with global capacity of 550MW in deal worth c.£700m.
  • Scottish adviser on off shoring and on shoring ownership of strategic land assets
  • Project lead for land corridor legal issues to link 1.5GW offshore wind farm
  • Legal advice lead on sale of key Scottish assets for global food ingredients business
  • Formula One and European Athletics Sponsorship contracts
  • Regulatory advice on private legislation for large hydro schemes and Electricity Regime
  • Adviser on major energy plant and steel components cross border supply (£50m)
  • UK advisor and co-ordinator of Indian legal advice on a social project as part of India’s 100million toilets project to offer privacy and promote feminine hygiene

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Derek McCulloch

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Recent News & Insights by Derek

20 May 2025 | Time to read: 4 mins

Does a new dawn await Scotland’s grid infrastructure?

By Derek McCulloch

Read insights from Derek McCulloch, Head of Energy at Gillespie Macandrew, on the critical shift in how we power our nation.

16 May 2022 | Time to read: 2 mins

Tornagrain | New Town Development

By Amy McDowell, Derek McCulloch, Robert Scott-Dempster, Rae Gilchrist

We act for Tornagrain Limited, part of the Moray Estates group, in connection with the development of the Tornagrain new town.

16 May 2022 | Time to read: 2 mins

Viking Energy | Wind Farm Development

By Amy McDowell, Derek McCulloch, Colin Hamilton, Alan White

We act for Viking Energy Wind Farm LLP in respect of the major wind farm development on mainland Shetland.

18 January 2022 | Time to read: 2 mins

Successful ScotWind bids announced

By Derek McCulloch

The results of the Scottish offshore leasing round was announced yesterday, confirming the 17 projects, out of 74 applications.

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Solicitors in Edinburgh
Family Solicitors/Lawyers in Edinburgh

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