Friends Legal spreads east to Garden Stirling Burnet

Glasgow based practice Friends Legal has acquired Garden Stirling Burnet, the biggest firm of solicitors and estate agents in East Lothian.

The takeover creates a business with over £7m a year in turnover and 60 staff in six offices across Scotland. The Garden Stirling Burnet name will be retained across its four offices in Dunbar, Haddington, North Berwick and Tranent, but becoming part of the Friends Legal network will see rapid investment into its 22-strong team, aiming to double the headcount and turnover in three years.

Garden Stirling Burnet directors Alan Borrowman, Angela Craig and Ian Philp will remain with the firm for at least a year in new consultancy roles.

Founded as Stirling & Burnet in the early 1900s, Garden Stirling Burnet is best known for its estate agency, executry and conveyancing work, but Friends Legal plans to "unlock the potential of its whole Private Client team including family law and its letting business".

The acquisition will also enable Friends Legal to explore further consumer legal services, particularly in conveyancing and remortgaging. From its Glasgow HQ and another office in Edinburgh, it already provides volume personal injury and medical negligence services.

Managing partner Tony O’Malley, who founded the Friends Legal brand in 2016, said: “GSB is a great business with a brilliant reputation, fantastic people and an unmatched footprint across East Lothian. We will re-establish GSB in the local market by investing in its people, infrastructure and brand.

“It’s the largest legal practice by footprint and headcount in the county, but has perhaps lost market share in recent years. Our aim is to put it firmly back on the map by offering premium services at a fair price. That is our over-riding priority and we will need to recruit to achieve these aims.”

Alan Borrowman added: “We would like to wholeheartedly thank our loyal clients for their ongoing support and to reassure them that this merger will mean that Garden Stirling Burnet continues to be a leading legal presence here in East Lothian. Indeed, by becoming part of the Friends Legal network, our range of legal services to clients will become even more specialist yet accessible.

“This is the right deal at the right time and will be fantastic for the dedicated and hard-working team we’ve established at GSB over many years. As directors, that is so important to us and we are thrilled with the long-term plans and prospects for the business and the role that we play in the community.”