Gillespie Macandrew to open in Glasgow

Legal firm Gillespie Macandrew is to open a Glasgow office in March, the firm announced today.

Initially the new office will focus on services related to housebuilding, strategic land and planning.

Based in Edinburgh Gillespie Macandrew opened its first office outside the city in Perth in 2012.

Managing partner Ian Turnbull said the firm had experienced a steadily increasing demand for its services from a range of clients based in the west of Scotland, and had identified further opportunities to extend its level of business in the region. "In particular, our housebuilding team is very active in the west, with over one-third of the work they are carrying out in plot sales alone being generated there."

Mr Turnbull commented: "The decision to open a Perth office with an initial focus on our land and rural business team has proven hugely successful and has since developed into other areas including private client. We intend to apply a similar approach in Glasgow. The timing is right, as we see growth in several sectors in which we are active, we are in a good financial position and we have high calibre personnel who are all well known in their specialist fields."

The firm is said to be in "final discussions" about the location of the office.

Harry Smith, head of the firm's housebuilding team, added: “Our flow of work is such in the housebuilding/property sector that a Glasgow base makes good sense. Gillespie Macandrew is handling well over 5% of all Scottish plot transactions and part exchanges, and we see this growing. A Glasgow office will allow us to respond even more quickly to existing clients and potential clients on the ground.”