Legal Expertise For the Public Sector & Charities

Independently described as the “top public sector firm in Scotland”, MacRoberts has developed a solid reputation for its work with the public sector, charities and third sector organisations. 

First-class, commercially-minded advice

Working in partnership with our clients, our team not only understands the inner workings of government and public sector bodies, but makes the most of opportunities and overcomes the challenges they may face. Whether in respect of fine-tuning bids for major public projects or assisting with governance, guidance or employment matters, MacRoberts provides cross-disciplinary, practical and commercial advice, based on our expert knowledge and experience and tailored to fit our clients’ specific requirements.

Our expert knowledge of the issues, challenges and conflicts that arise for public sector organisations and charities enables us to provide first-class, commercially-minded advice on a range of non-contentious and contentious matters, and you can be confident that we will work closely with you to achieve the best possible outcome.

Always delivering

MacRoberts enjoys longstanding relationships with the Scottish Government, local authorities and private entities, working on a diverse range of projects and issues across Scotland.

Our lawyers are committed to delivering on promises and going beyond client expectations, using our deep understanding of the inner workings of government and public sector bodies to help our clients make the most of opportunities and overcome the challenges they may face.

Helping you deliver your social impact

Acting for over 10% of Scotland’s largest charities and independently recognised as charity law experts, our public sector lawyers have a deep understanding of the specific challenges facing the third sector.

Whether we are working with you to develop a new service through innovative models or create a framework to develop sustainable growth, our dedicated team can help you deliver your social impact.

Our Key Services for the
Public Sector & Charities

If you’re looking for expert legal advice from people you can trust, don’t just take our word for it – we’ll let our legal advice do the talking.

  • Charities & Social Enterprise

    Our team is skilled in advising on governance matters and regularly works with our clients on relationships amongst board members, management and stakeholders. 

    Charities & Social Enterprise
  • Local Government

    Our Public Sector team is one of the largest in Scotland and we have an impressive track record of robustly promoting and defending our clients' interests in the public arena, particularly local government.

    Local Government
  • Parliamentary

    Our Parliamentary team complements our strong offerings from across the firm, calling on expertise from a number of areas including transport, planning, environment, employment, regulatory, government and public sector. 

    Parliamentary
  • Procurement

    MacRoberts’ procurement team is a market leader in Scotland and recognised throughout the UK for advising contracting authorities and bidders on all aspects of public services. 

    Procurement
  • State Aid

    EU state aid rules control the way in which public funds can be used to support commercial activities. The rules are complex, and failure to apply them correctly could result in a company that has received aid being ordered to repay it. 

    State Aid
  • Transport

    Our team has extensive expertise and experience in transport-related matters with significant client exposure across the full range of modes of transport and full length of the supply chain.

    Transport
  • Space Sector

    The space sector is considered a key priority for the Scottish Government and, as a full-service law firm, MacRoberts is well placed to advise clients on all legal aspects of their space and transport-related projects.

    Space Sector

Our Awards & Accreditations

  • In 2016, we were one of the first law firms in Scotland to become accredited Living Wage employers.

  • Shortlisted for Firm of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards 2022.

  • Winners of Corporate & Commercial Team of the Year and Family Law Team of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards 2020.

  • Our Real Estate team won the Property Team of the Year Award at the British Legal Awards in 2018.

  • Winner of SME of the Year at the Scottish SME Awards 2017, hosted by Scottish Business Insider.

  • Highly Commended for Commercial Team of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2016.

  • In 2019, MacRoberts achieved Cyber Essentials Plus certification, a UK Government entry-level information security standard. 

  • MacRoberts holds the ISO 9001:2015 certification for Quality Management, the most widely recognised quality management system standard in the world.

  • Iso 14001 2015 Environmental Management

    MacRoberts holds the ISO14001:2015 certification for Environmental Management, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to environmental awareness.

  • MacRoberts holds the ISO27001:2013 certification for Information Security, an internationally recognised security gold standard.

  • Business continuity is a critical element of the Business Management System at MacRoberts and we hold full accreditation with the ISO 22301:2019.

  • MacRoberts is a member of IP Inclusive, a network of intellectual property professionals working to make our community more equal, diverse and inclusive.

  • We are active members of the PRIME Programme – an organisation that focuses on ensuring a career in law is open to talent from all economic and social backgrounds.

  • MacRoberts supports the Scottish Business Pledge, a values-led partnership between Government and business that is based on boosting productivity and competitiveness through fairness, equality and sustainable employment.

  • We are supporters of the Partnership for Change, a network of organisations and individuals who share a common ambition to improve diversity on boards and in senior leadership.

  • We are a member of the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (ENEI), a UK-based not-for-profit organisation which helps employers build and maintain diverse teams and inclusive cultures through our membership, training, and consultancy services.

  • MacRoberts was awarded enei's Silver TIDEMark for 2023. TIDE is enei's self-assessment evaluation and benchmarking tool which measures an organisation's overall approach and progress on diversity and inclusion.

  • MacRoberts is a Disability Confident employer, and are committed to disability equality across our firm.

  • MacRoberts fully supports flexible working practices and supports family-friendly working practices.

  • In 2022, MacRoberts received a Bronze Award in Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index for our commitment to LGBTQI+ inclusivity in the workplace.

  • MacRoberts is a longstanding member of Scotland Food & Drink, the leading trade association for Scotland's food and drink industry.

  • MacRoberts is an Associate Member of SELECT, Scotland's largest construction trade association.