Member Profiles

Kerry advises on the full range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters as well as business immigration. Kerry is a partner and head of the employment, immigration and pensions practice. Prior to joining Stevens & Bolton in 2006, she qualified and worked at a top international law firm. Kerry advises on strategic HR issues and contentious and non-contentious employment matters. Her experience includes drafting contracts and staff handbooks, advising on dismissals and termination packages, collective redundancies and reorganisations, discrimination, family friendly rights and advising in relation to and preparing for Employment Tribunal claims. She also has particular expertise in advising on TUPE and business transfers, both in the context of outsourcing and business acquisitions. In addition, Kerry is experienced in all aspects of business immigration law and right to work issues. She regularly advises employers in relation to Skilled Worker and Intra Company Transfer applications (previously Tier 2 applications), including assisting employers with the sponsorship registration process, assigning certificates of sponsorship and entry clearance and extension applications. She also advises on sponsor compliance issues, as well as right to work checks. Additionally, she advises in relation to indefinite leave to remain and naturalisation applications, and is currently advising clients on the impact of the end of the Brexit transition period on their ability to employ European nationals and on the recent changes to the sponsorship regime. Recent highlights include: Advising a number of clients on restructuring and collective redundancies, including a publishing company and a well-known luxury hotel group Advising clients, including a publishing company and a coffee and drink machine supplier, on projects such as reductions to pay and reducing working hours Advising a large multinational manufacturing company on outsourcing services to a company in eastern Europe, including drafting and negotiating complex TUPE provisions and managing a project to ensure that the many transferring employees sign up to a settlement agreement prior to each of the phased transfer dates Advising a well-known technology company in relation to the employment and HR issues arising from restructuring the group after an acquisition, including advising on the impact of TUPE and the information and consultation process Advising a FTSE 100 business in relation to the TUPE provisions in a contract with a supermarket, including negotiating the TUPE clauses and obtaining cover for redundancy costs following the transfer Advising a special gases provider in connection with holiday pay calculations factoring in various overtime arrangements and allowances, including in relation to union negotiations and drafting the collective agreement to reflect the agreed terms Advising a luxury retailer in relation to a complex discrimination and whistleblowing claim, which ultimately settled before the hearing Advising clients, including a pharmaceutical company and food and beverage brand, on all of their UK business immigration matters, including advising on sponsor compliance, issuing Certificates of Sponsorship and assisting with Skilled Worker (previously Tier 2) immigration applications Kerry regularly has articles published in the HR press and provides comments to the media on employment and immigration matters. She also provides tailored training to clients and runs webinars.

Norman Geddes has been in practice since 1976. His principal areas of expertise are in property conveyancing work with a particular interest in commercial and agricultural property and property development and property investment. He has extensive knowledge of the property market and a keen interest in farms and country property. He lectured at the University of Strathclyde for several years before returning to private practice. He is co–author of the book ‘Hospitality & Tourism Law’ and has contributed to other publications. He is Executive Chairman of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle and has a keen interest in promoting business in Ayrshire.

Mark has been a Partner in the Commercial Property Group since 1999 and has specialised in commercial property matters for 35 years. He qualified in Lincoln’s Inn before working in the City for Eversheds, DLA and Charles Russell Speechlys. He specialises in the purchase, letting and disposal of properties for owners, occupiers and investors. Mark deals with overseas investors, educational facilities and developers entering into slow burn development transactions - including Land Promotion Agreements, Options and Conditional Agreements. His clients include many international companies and trusts and Mark is well versed in very difficult landlord and tenant matter and the acquisition and disposal of investment properties. Mark is ranked as "Elite" for Real Estate work and is recognised in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame. He also holds a Diploma in Landlord & Tenant Law and is recognised by both of the main legal directories as a leading practitioner of property law.  His expertise in delaing with property finance matters is well known having been voted as "Property Finance Lawyer of the Year". Expertise Commercial property Property portfolio management Pension scheme lending Property finance Land promotion & options Leisure & hospitality Banking & finance

Gavin is a partner in the Commercial Property Team at independent Scottish commercial law firm Davidson Chalmers Stewart. He has over 30 years’ experience at the top end of the commercial real estate market working with both occupiers and developers/investors in various sectors including business space, commercial and residential development and investment, and retail and leisure, often with a cross-border angle.  Gavin is recognised for providing practical and commercial advice, and is trusted by numerous other professional firms and organisations to manage their own real estate requirements in Scotland.  Recent work highlights include advising a Middle East investor on their first acquisition in Scotland, 31 Princes Street, Edinburgh from Arcadia Group for over £20m and advising London-based developers Stamford Group on their acquisition of Elgin House, Haymarket Edinburgh for over £20m. 

I am a partner of Clarkslegal and I head the firm’s construction and engineering projects group. I love the challenging diversity of my work, ranging from contract drafting and negotiating through to all forms of industry dispute resolution or, more preferably and when appropriate, dispute avoidance. Both I and the wider team are recognised by a number of the legal directories, including Chambers and Partners and Legal 500, as leading construction industry lawyers. I was inducted in 2018 into The Legal 500’s Hall of Fame as an elite construction lawyer, based on their independent research and client testimonials received over many years. I act for all sectors of the industry to include, public and private sector developers and owner/occupiers, main contractors, specialist sub-contractors and professional consultants, whilst our expertise and excellent client service is also recognised through instruction by other law firms, who do not have that expertise, on behalf of their clients.