People on the move: June 2023

ANDERSONBAIN LLP, Aberdeen are pleased to announce the strengthening of their Private Client department with the recent appointments of Catherine McKay, who joined the firm in May as an associate solicitor, and Cara Seivwright, who joined in March
as a solicitor. 

BALFOUR+MANSON, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, has appointed trainee solicitor Dhana McIver as its first disability officer. She is also taking part in a Law Society of Scotland project to improve disability inclusion in the legal profession. 

BLACKADDERS LLP, Dundee and elsewhere, has appointed Sylvia McCullagh as a legal director in its Property team. Based in the firm’s Edinburgh office, she joins from BALFOUR+MANSON. 

BRODIES MIDDLE EAST LLP, the first international arm of BRODIES LLP, has opened an office in Abu Dhabi. The office will be led by Greg May and Bryan Wilson, energy specialists in Brodies’ UK practice. 

BURNESS PAULL, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, has added a six-person team to its Rural Business practice, led by Linda Tinson, who becomes a partner and head of the practice, along with Jim Drysdale (legal consultant), Lorna McKay (senior associate), Sarah Taylor and Jason Rust (both associates), and Sarah Strathdee (paralegal). All join from LEDINGHAM CHALMERS.

Burness Paull has also appointed Mark Kirke, dual qualified in English and Scots law and accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in construction law, as a partner in its Construction & Projects team. He joins from CMS.

CLYDE & CO, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and internationally, has announced the promotion to partner of Ann Bonomy (Safety, Health & Environmental Regulatory, Glasgow),
and Siobhan Kahmann (Competition & Regulatory, Brussels, and Council member of the Law Society of Scotland), among its 2023 promotions round.

DAC BEACHCROFT, Edinburgh, Glasgow and internationally, has promoted four lawyers to associate in the Claims Solutions Group in its Scottish offices, among 36 promotions across the firm: Katie Anderson (Casualty Injury), Alasdair Irvine (Strategic, Regulatory (Safety, Health & Environment)), Kelly Sutherland (Vehicle Hire & Damage), and Megan Walsh (Motor Injury). 

DAVIDSON CHALMERS STEWART, Edinburgh and Glasgow, has announced the appointment of dispute resolution solicitor Ewan McIntyre as a partner based in Glasgow. He joins from PINSENT MASONS’ Vario team.

GILLESPIE MACANDREW, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth, announces the appointment of private client specialist David Mowlem to its partnership. Dual qualified in Scots and English law and a chartered tax adviser, he joins from TURCAN CONNELL.

Gillespie Macandrew is retaining seven of its trainees who qualify as solicitors in August 2023: Beth Hancock, Miles McKay, Fiona Reid, Rachael Burke, Alasdair Forsyth, Alexandra Foulkes and Harry Donnelly.

HARPER MACLEOD, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Elgin, Lerwick and Thurso, has announced a total of 36 promotions, including four new partners: Andrew Ronald (Banking & Finance), Ewan Stafford (Employment & Immigration), Amy Dickson (Personal Injury & Reparation) and Brian Carton (partner equivalent in the IT team). 

There are six new senior associates: Fiona Strang (Corporate, Commercial & Regulatory), Jennifer Grosvenor (Dispute Resolution), Nicola Ker, Annabelle Gow and Lauren Farquhar (all Private Client – Asset Protection & Tax), and Nicola Stephen (Residential Property).

Eight promoted to associate are: Rebecca Scott (Banking); Clare McGeough (Dispute Resolution); Deborah Rookes and Andrew Maxwell (both Employment & Immigration); Craig McKellar, Laura Ann Sheridan and Osman Khan (all PI & Reparation), and David White (Private Client – Asset Protection & Tax). 

There are 14 promoted to senior solicitor: Kirsty Watson (Banking); Euan Bowie (Commercial Property); Rachel Miele, Andy Pirie and Ross Hampsey (all Corporate, Commercial & Regulatory); Ellen Francksen and Stephen Nicolson (both Dispute Resolution); Laura Brennen (Employment & Immigration); Brittany Thomas (Family); Richard Steell (PI & Reparation); Laura Kerr (Private Client – Asset Protection & Tax); Richard Gallen (Public Sector Real Estate, RSLs & Infrastructure); Rebecca Campbell (Residential Property, Housebuilder & Estate Agency) and Hannah McIntosh (Rural Property, Forestry, Community Land & Crofting). 

Four newly-qualified solicitors have been offered positions on completion of their traineeships: Ewan Forsyth (Private Client – Asset Protection & Tax), Claire Fowler (Employment & Immigration), Frances Lombardi (Dispute Resolution), and Alex Merton (Private Client – Asset Protection & Tax).

Partner and solicitor promotions took effect on 1 April 2023, and all other promotions on 1 May.

KELLAS, Inverurie have appointed Victoria Burnett as a senior associate in the firm’s Conveyancing department. She joins from BURNETT & REID SOLICITORS.

LINDSAYS LLP, Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow, announces that, following its merger with MILLER HENDRY, Perth, Dundee and Crieff with effect from 30 May 2023, all seven Miller Hendry partners will become partners of the firm. John G Thom, James Andrew, Amanda Frenz and Richard Frenz will remain at their current location at 10 Blackfriars Street, Perth, while Ernest Boath, Alistair Duncan and Alison Fitzgerald will move to Seabraes House, 18 Greenmarket, Dundee. The enlarged firm will be branded as LINDSAYS. 

DM MACKINNON, Oban, is pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas Jordan, senior solicitor, Residential & Commercial Conveyancing, and Lucy Henderson, solicitor, Private Client, Wills & Executries.

MACROBERTS LLP, Glasgow and Edinburgh, has promoted to partner Bonar Mercer (Corporate Finance) and accredited specialist Kenny Scott (Employment Law).

MORTON FRASER, Edinburgh and Glasgow, has appointed four new partners: Nicola Edgar (Personal Injury Litigation), Emma Wood (Succession & Tax), and accredited specialists Sarah Gilzean and Alan Delaney (both Employment Law).

A further 11 promotions are: Hayley Johnson, legal director, Litigation (Employment); Hannah Lawrence, senior associate, Real Estate; Elizabeth Sparks, senior associate, Private Client; Nicole Moscardini, associate, Litigation (Employment); Steph Tinney, associate, Real Estate; John Callender, senior solicitor, Litigation; Anthea Chan, senior solicitor, Real Estate; Rowena Claxton, senior solicitor, Agricultural & Rural Property; David Forrester and Douglas Harvey, both senior solicitors, Litigation; and Beth Holehouse, senior solicitor, Private Client.

All take effect from 1 June 2023. 

Sarah Prentice has been promoted to senior solicitor at the SCOTTISH SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL. 

Jonathan Rennie, employment partner at TLT, has been appointed by the International Council of Arbitration for Sport as an arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

 SHAKESPEARE MARTINEAU, Edinburgh and UK wide, has appointed banking partner Grant Docherty as head of its Edinburgh office hub.

SHEPHERD AND WEDDERBURN LLP, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and London, has promoted seven of its lawyers to partner: Neil Cowan and Lucy Hall (both Banking & Finance), Emma Guthrie and George McKinlay (both Property & Infrastructure), Magda MacLean (Planning & Environment), Keith McLaren (Private Wealth & Tax), and Emma Robertson (Rural).

There are also 10 promotions to legal director: Heather Bird (Private Wealth & Tax), Kirsty Headden (Pensions), Suzanne Knowles (Restructuring & Business Advisory), Ashley McLean (Media & Technology), Laura McMillan (Commercial Disputes), Stephanie Mill and Emma Paton (both Planning & Environment), Gillian Moore (Employment), John Vassiliou (Immigration) and Sarah Walker (Commercial Disputes).

All the promotions took effect on 1 May 2023.

STRONACHS, Aberdeen and Inverness, has announced the promotion to partner of Callum Armstrong (Corporate) and Kirsten Anderson (Private Client), and to legal director of Lindsay Dron (Residential Property) and Karen Oliver (Private Client).

THOMPSONS, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Galashiels, has made four promotions to partner: Alan Calderwood (Accident team, Edinburgh), David Adams (RTA team, Glasgow), Jonathan Howat (Medical Negligence team, Glasgow), and Paul Deans (Employment Law). Also, Craig Snee (Dundee) and Cat McGarrell (Glasgow) have been promoted to associate. 

THORNTONS LAW, Dundee and elsewhere, has appointed Joanne Grimmond as a partner in its Residential Property team based in Perth. She joins from BLACKADDERS, where she was a partner and
head of Perth.

Thorntons has appointed accredited insolvency law specialist Stephanie Carr as a partner in its Glasgow office. She joins from BLACKADDERS, where she was a partner and office head in Glasgow.

WORKNEST, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and UK wide, the employment law, HR and health and safety adviser, has promoted Gerard O’Hare to legal director for Scotland, leading WorkNest’s Legal and HR teams across its Scottish offices.

WRIGHT, JOHNSTON & MACKENZIE LLP, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Dunblane and Dunfermline, has announced the following promotions and appointments: Alan Munro, who joins from TLT, becomes a partner in the Conflict Resolution team, working in insolvency law, liquidation and asset recovery; John Grant, employment and insolvency law specialist, is promoted from senior associate to partner; and in the Inverness office, Yasmin Myles joins the Commercial Property team as an associate from MACLEOD & MACCALLUM, and Lorraine Sloggie and Krysty Steele join as a trainee paralegal and paralegal respectively.