Harper Macleod promotes five to partner

Harper Macleod has promoted five of its legal team to partner as it aims to increase its share of the Scottish legal market.

The advancement of Andrew Upton in Dispute Resolution, Collette Miller and Jill Fryer in Public Sector & Social Housing, and Employment team members Scott Milligan and Lorna Davis take the firm's total number of partners to 67.

Mr Upton, who has been with the firm since his traineeship, advises clients across both the private and public sectors in all litigious matters and is a recommended lawyer for property litigation in the Legal 500 directory.

Highlighted as a "next generation lawyer" in Legal 500, Ms Miller advises many of Scotland's leading social housing providers and has played a key role in the team which advised on private placement investment deals worth £500m in the past year. 

Ms Fryer, who becomes the eighth partner based in the firm's Inverness office, has extensive experience in matters including public procurement, competition law, state aid and other regulatory matters, and is recommended in Legal 500 for both EU & Competition law and Corporate & Commercial.

In the Employment Law team, Scott Milligan has particular experience in advising on the employment law aspects of large commercial transactions, often with international elements, and is recommended in Legal 500; while Ms Davis, who joined Harper Macleod from Morton Fraser last year, is a Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist in employment law and is recommended by both the Chambers UK and Legal 500 directories, acting in contentious and non-contentious employment matters and appearing for employees in professional regulatory hearings.

Firm chairman Professor Lorne Crerar commented: "I am thrilled to have these fantastic colleagues join me as partners of Harper Macleod. While legal business models are changing, the ambition of many young lawyers remains to make partner one day and it's a great pleasure to be able to reward their tireless efforts by making that dream a reality.

"We have always strived to create a place of opportunity for all of our people to develop and these promotions demonstrate that. All five are not only great solicitors but excellent people to work with and they are valued by both their clients and their colleagues. I am sure they will contribute to the continued success of Harper Macleod and our clients over the coming years."