Hires and promotions as Brodies names nine new partners

Brodies, the largest Scottish headquartered law firm, has today named nine new partners, including four internal promotions and five lateral hires, along with a further 23 promotions at other levels

The internal promotions see banking and finance lawyer Mark Meiklejohn, commercial litigator and solicitor advocate Craig Watt, and personal and family lawyers Hayley Robertson and Nick Marshall become partners.

They will be joined by lateral hires Allan Cairns and Colin Keenan, both real estate lawyers, litigator Gareth Hale, all of whom have moved from Dentons, and corporate lawyers Martin Ewan and David Millar, both from Pinsent Masons.

Mr Cairns specialises in the UK real estate investment market, and has worked with clients based in the UK and overseas, including the Netherlands, Germany and South Korea. Mr Keenan has a particular but not exclusive focus on the retail sector, acting for shopping centre and retail park clients on projects across the UK. 

Mr Hale has more than 15 years' experience in commercial litigation, representing UK clients across a range of sectors, and also brings considerable experience in the financial services sector and in international arbitration. 

Both Mr Ewan and Mr Millar join Brodies' Aberdeen office. Mr Ewan, an author in the field, is widely recognised for IP and technology expertise in the oil and gas industry, while also providing advice on a wide range of commercial transactions. Mr Millar specialises in corporate M&A, joint ventures and private equity work across a range of sectors with particular experience in energy. 

Brodies' other promotions in this round include one legal director, one managing associate, nine senior associates and 12 associates.

Shirley Li-Ting becomes a legal director in Banking & Finance, and Fiona Dromgoole a managing associate in Real Estate/Commercial Property, both in the Glasgow office.

Advancing to senior associate are Graham Imrie (Real Estate, Aberdeen), Duncan Cathie (Corporate & Commercial, Glasgow), Bob Langridge (Corporate & Commercial, Edinburgh), Monica Connolly, Fehmida Hanif and Laura Fell (all Litigation, Edinburgh), Claire Rice (Litigation, Glasgow), Jessica Flowerdew (Personal & Family, Edinburgh), and Peter Brading (Banking & Finance, Edinburgh).

The 12 newly promoted associates are Guy Grant (Real Estate, Edinburgh), Kirsty MacAulay (Real Estate, Glasgow), Laura Lawson (Corporate & Commercial, Aberdeen), Kirsty Cooper (Corporate & Commercial, Edinburgh), Christina Barr, Clare Kelly, Melissa Mavor, David Nelson and Douglas Waddell (all Litigation, Edinburgh), Craig Donnelly and Katy Angus (both Litigation, Glasgow), and Edith Calvert (Banking & Finance, Aberdeen).

Brodies' managing partner, Nick Scott, commented: "Our strategic plans for 2021-2024 recognise the opportunity for growth across all areas of the firm and the benefits that will bring to our clients in the provision of relevant, quality legal advice. Those plans also recognise the wealth of talent within our firm. I congratulate Mark, Craig, Hayley and Nick as they step up to partner, and wish all our newly promoted colleagues well as they start the next stage in their careers.

"That we can continue to attract market leading lawyers of the calibre of Allan, Colin, Gareth, Martin and David underpins our strategic plans and is testament to the market's recognition of our firm's ambition. We look forward to their contribution."