Shoosmiths in Scotland has strengthened its senior legal headcount with the appointment of William Reid as banking legal director.

Based in Shoosmiths’ Edinburgh office, Mr Reid will work closely with colleagues in the real estate and corporate teams, advising clients on matters including corporate lending, leveraged acquisition and real estate finance.

He is currently ranked in the Legal 500 UK Legal Directory as a ‘Leading Associate’ and Chambers and Partners as an ‘Associate to Watch’ for banking and finance in Scotland. He has considerable multi-sectoral experience, advising both funders and borrowers on high profile Scots law matters as well as cross-border and international transactions. Mr Reid is also noted for his expertise in real estate hotel financing and venture debt/ growth finance arrangements.

Sheelagh Cooley, joint head of the firm’s national real estate finance practice and head of the Edinburgh office, said: “I warmly welcome William to our close-knit team of sector-focused lawyers, all of whom are renowned for their creative mind-set and an ability to consistently deliver results for our Scottish and UK-wide clients.

“With our robust growth strategy and the continued development of Shoosmiths’ national banking team, I am very confident that William will be a tremendous asset for our banking colleagues across the UK and our valued clients across Scotland and beyond. We look to further cementing our market presence in key sectors throughout 2026.”