People on the move: January 2021

ABERDEIN CONSIDINE, Aberdeen and elsewhere, have appointed Greig Brown as mortgage operations director, based at the firm’s Edinburgh office. He joins from MORTGAGE ADVICE BUREAU in Scotland, where he was head of operations. 

BALFOUR+MANSON, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, has promoted two of its associates to partner, effective from 1 January 2021: Martin Walker, in the Litigation team, who joined the firm as a trainee, and Private Client team specialist Graeme Thomson, who joined as a senior associate in 2018.

BOYD LEGAL, Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy, has promoted Rachael Brandon, manager of its Equity Release team, from senior associate to company director.

BURGES SALMON, Edinburgh and UK wide, has appointed Nigel Watson as a corporate partner to lead its Employee Incentives team. He joins from BRODIES, where he was a partner and head of its Employee Benefits practice.

CAIRN ENERGY PLC, Edinburgh has appointed Anne McSherry as company secretary. She succeeds Duncan Wood, who has retired from the role after 22 years. Ms McSherry has worked at Cairn since 2009.

CULLEN KILSHAW, Galashiels and elsewhere, and IAIN SMITH & PARTNERS, Galashiels, announce the merger of their practices from January 2021 as CULLEN KILSHAW. Iain Smith & Partners’ existing offices in Bank Close, Galashiels will house the merged and enlarged Court departments of both firms, while their other staff will relocate to Cullen Kilshaw’s headquarters in Waverley Chambers, Ladhope Vale, Galashiels.

DIGBY BROWN, Edinburgh and elsewhere, has announced the promotion of nine members of staff across four of its offices, including four new associates.

Those promoted to associate are Lee Murray, Network team (Ayr), Ryan Smith, General Personal Injury Litigation (Kirkcaldy), and Megan Keenan, Clinical Negligence and David Henderson, Foreign & Travel (both Glasgow). Three in the Edinburgh office advance to senior solicitor: Isabel Wosiak (Foreign & Travel), and Saira Ahmed and Zara Clark (both Serious Injury). They are joined by Joanne Gray, of the Serious Injury team in Glasgow. Also promoted is Nicola Hoey in the Glasgow office, who becomes a welfare rights adviser.

GILSON GRAY, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and North Berwick, has promoted Denise Laverty, an accredited specialist in family law and accredited family law mediator, and dual-qualified in England & Wales, to partner in the Family Law team. She joined Gilson Gray as a legal director in June 2019.

MBM COMMERCIAL, Edinburgh and London, has appointed Tim Edward as a partner in its Dispute Resolution practice. He joins from DENTONS, where he was a partner and head of its Commercial Dispute Resolution practice in Scotland.

MOV8 REAL ESTATE LTD, Edinburgh and Glasgow, announces the promotion of Tracy McAlpine, Head of New Build & Intermediary Conveyancing, to Director of New Build & Intermediary Services.

SCULLION LAW, Glasgow and Hamilton, has added to its court department with the appointment of two criminal law solicitors: Anna MacKay, who joins as an associate from BRIDGE LITIGATION, and Lucy McKenna, who has joined the firm after completing her training at PATERSON BELL.

THORNTONS LAW LLP, Dundee and elsewhere, announce the promotion to partner of Gary Mannion, of the Personal Injury team in Dundee, and Lucy Metcalf, of the Family Law team in Edinburgh; and the promotion of Janice Napier to legal director in Business Law within the Commercial Property team in Perth.

WRIGHT, JOHNSTON & MACKENZIE LLP, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Dunblane and Dunfermline, has promoted five members of staff. Emma Letham, of the firm’s Family Law team at its Glasgow office, becomes an associate, and there are four new senior solicitors: Hannah Prentice and Alison Reid, who work in the Private Client team in the Inverness office, and Sarajane Drake and Leanne Follan, commercial property solicitors in the Glasgow office.