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Colin Lawrie

Partner

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Saltire Court
20 Castle Terrace
Edinburgh
EH1 2EN
United Kingdom
Languages English

Colin Lawrie advises on the establishment, investment in and debt finance of unregulated funds, primarily in private equity and real estate asset classes, helping clients harness the benefits of collective investment. His work has earned him the recognition of a Chambers Band 1 ranking.

Colin also advises on the use of alternative vehicles, both onshore and offshore, such as Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), Limited Partnerships (LPs), General Partnerships, Unauthorised Unit Trusts (JPUTs etc.) and ‘stacked’ combinations of such structures to provide hybridised results, both for transactional and project purposes (e.g. Joint Ventures). His work focuses primarily on the renewable energy, property and financial services sectors. 

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"Colin Lawrie is highly regarded by sources for his knowledge of LLPs, joint ventures and funds. "He has a good grasp of detail. He can find a pragmatic solution to most problems, and he doesn't over-egg the pudding. He does what he does well," said one client."

Chambers & Partners

"CMS ‘provides excellent advice, leveraging its significant industry knowledge and experience’. The sizeable cross-office team is headed by the ‘responsive and client-focused’ real estate funds expert Melville Rodrigues. Cathy Pitt, a go-to lawyer on listed funds matters, advised River Mercantile on its £50m IPO, and private equity specialist Colin Lawrie represented SSE in its role as cornerstone investor in the Environmental Capital Fund."

Legal 500, 2015

Relevant experience

  • Clyde Blowers Capital IM LLP on the successful launch of Clyde Blowers Capital Funds II (2008, circa £250m) and Clyde Blowers Capital Fund III (2011/12, over £400m).
  • Glebe Asset Management Limited in the successful launch (£101m raised at first closing) of the Glebe London Property Fund.
  • Sigma Technology Management Limited in the successful launch (£50m raised at first closing) of the Sigma Sustainable Energy Fund II L.P.
  • SSE on the use of an LLP structure to open up a significant hydro-electric project in Scotland by partnering with the landowner through an LLP which allowed the landowner to overcome certain tax issues.
  • A Scottish local authority on the deployment of an innovative "stacked" LLP structure for a major wind farm project to allow it to work alongside a private sector partner while at the same time preserving the benefits of its tax exempt status and retaining a "project finance" friendly structure. 
  • A UK bank on the use of LLPs to adopt a more tax-efficient structure for the delivery of its telecom needs.
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Memberships & Roles

  • Member, The Law Society of Scotland
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Education

  • 1993 - Diploma Legal Practice, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
  • 1992 - Law, LLB Hons (1st Class), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
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Expertise

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07/11/2023
Another step towards transparency: the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency...
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), which gained Royal Assent on 26 October 2023, is part of a package of reforms aimed at tackling economic crime and preventing the abuse...
24/05/2021
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) confirms that Sustainable Finance Disclosure...
This Focusing on Funds looks at new changes in the UK's approach to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed that the SFDR will not apply...
24/05/2021
Focusing on Funds – Merger Control: Part 1
This Focusing on Funds is topical for fund managers and investors as merger control enforcement continues to strengthen around the world and the number of jurisdictions where the issue is relevant continues...
24/05/2021
Focusing on Funds – AIFMD Consultation Paper
This Focusing on Funds looks at some of the European Commission consultation paper on the AIFMD. Background The Consultation follows an intervention by ESMA with its letter to the Commission raising numerous...
28/04/2020
Covid-19 – Practical tips for signing Scots law documents in corporate...
Home working and social distancing measures to address the spread of Covid-19 make it necessary for lawyers and their clients to find practical solutions to enable business to continue. In this LawNow...
01/04/2020
CMS - Focusing on Funds – Impact of Coronavirus Outbreak on Fund Managers
This Focusing on Funds briefing is to assist fund managers and investors in the wake of the disruption caused by the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. In addition to observing investor transparency...
26/03/2020
Fund Finance - Is your Facility Agreement In Good Health?
In these testing times lenders cannot rely on that much cherished mantra of the fund finance community that there has never been a default on a drawdown bridge facility. Robust covenants and proactive...
08/10/2018
FCA consults on illiquid open-ended retail funds
Today, the FCA has launched a consultation paper (CP 18/27) on open-ended retail funds investing in illiquid assets. After the Brexit vote in 2016, there were significant investor outflows from open-ended...
08/10/2018
CMS Introduction to funds training
Please click here to view or download our brochure, which has full details of the training programme. If you would like to arrange a training programme, please get in touch. Our contact details are b...
08/10/2018
FCA consults on illiquid open-ended retail funds
Further reading: FCA: Consultation paper: Consultation on illiquid assets and open‑ended funds and feedback to Discussion Paper DP17/1 (CP18/27) (8 October 2018): ht­tps://www.fca.org.uk/pub­lic­a­tion/con­sulta­tion/cp18-27.pdf...
01/05/2018
Limited Partnership Reforms: "It's the end of the world as we know it and...
Bad people have been doing bad things with UK Limited Partnerships and Scottish Limited Partnerships (SLPs) in particular. It’s far from clear who these bad people are (indeed the Department for Business...
15/03/2018
Pre-marketing - Proposed changes to AIFMD
On 12 March 2018, the European Commission published a proposed directive and a proposed regulation amending the AIFMD and UCITS IV to facilitate cross-border marketing of funds. Importantly, these proposals...