Paula Skinner

Paula is head of the entrepreneurial team at Harper Macleod that focuses on advising entrepreneurs on all legal aspects of their business.  Her personal specialism is advising entrepreneurs on corporate transactions such as investments (including equity crowdfunding), acquisitions/disposals and restructures.  She works with businesses at all stages of their life cycle – from inception of idea to funding to exit.  Paula previously worked in-house at a venture capitalist and within the investment team at Scottish Investment Bank.  Her team completed over 186 transactions over the past 3 years, 74 of them being equity investments and 27 being M&A transactions.  You can review some of the deals Paula and her team have been involved in at our up-to-date corporate deals table.

Paula is recommended as a "Leader in the Field" in corporate law in Scotland where she is described as having "a particular specialism in advising start-ups, entrepreneurs and investors."  She is recognised for her expertise in crowdfunding, and a market insider reports: "There are no gaps in her knowledge or understanding of the market." (Chambers UK).  The Legal 500 regards her as a "Next Generation Partner" and The Law magazine listed her in the Hot 100 of Lawyers for 2015 across the UK (the only lawyer from a Scottish firm to be listed).

Paula has in the past participated in an entrepreneurship course by Babson College at the University of Strathclyde.

Qualifications: LLB Dip LP
Qualified: 2002
Joined the firm: 2005