All change at top of leading Scottish firm as commercial real estate partner Neil Robb appointed chair

Blackadders LLP has announced the appointment of Neil Robb, partner and head of commercial real estate, as chairman.

Robb will take up his new role from August and Simon Allison, head of the employment team, will step down from the board after a three-year term.

The new chairman joins joint managing partners Emma Gray and Ryan McKay, head of business services Kirk Dailly and Laura McDowall, head of private client, on the board.

Gray said: “We are delighted that Neil has been appointed as chairman - he will be a fantastic addition to the board. He brings a clear understanding of our strategic vision, a strong commitment to driving it forward and is well-known and respected both within the firm and in the wider profession.”

Robb, who graduated from Aberdeen University in 1990 and trained in the city, added: “This is a great honour and I’m delighted to be joining the board and working with the team to continue to grow the firm and achieve our ambitions.

“This role will enable me to help connect the firm across Scotland and work with clients and partners to showcase the full range of services we offer. We are determined that Blackadders will always be a great place to work and a lawyer of choice and I’m looking forward to playing my part in ensuring we continue to deliver on our goals.”

Robb was a founding partner in the late 1990s of Plenderleath Runcie LLP, a boutique firm focusing on property, business and private client law where he focussed primarily on property and business law.

After 20 successful years, Plenderleath Runcie merged with Blackadders in 2019 and Robb became a partner in the commercial real estate department latterly becoming the department head.

Gray and McKay took over in the summer of 2022 and set out on a path to reposition the firm and grow operations across Scotland. Their aims were set out in the firm’s 5 by 25 strategy which set ambitious targets for growth.

Blackadders is now in the final year of that strategy with the five initiatives the firm is aiming to achieve by the end of the 2025/26 financial year being:

• Increase turnover to £25 million
• Achieve a profit margin of 35%
• Be regarded as an employer of choice in the industry
• Act as a destination lawyer for clients
• Ensure Blackadders LLP is regarded alongside the top five Scottish law firms.

Blackadders reported growth in turnover and profit in its latest accounts and expect to report further growth for the financial year ending 31 March 2025.