Inksters takes Scottish small business award

Legal firm Inksters has won the Scottish Self-employed/Sole Trader of the Year Award at this year's Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Celebrating Small Business Awards.

The award recognises the “tenacity and drive that it takes to go it alone”.

Brian Inkster set up Inksters as a sole trader in 1999, and still practises as such, though his firm now has nine employees and 18 other sole traders – who work under the Inksters brand from 10 offices across Scotland.

Through Mr Inkster's "Plug & Play Law" model, which he has developed since 2013, senior lawyers can work as a collective, with enhanced technology and back office support. It operates as a hub-and-spoke, with a back office “hub” in the firm's main Glasgow office, and “spokes” to the other offices, currently in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Eigg, Forfar, Inverness, Lerwick, Portree, Thurso and Wick.

In 2021, Inksters fully replaced salaried solicitors with self-employed consultants and now just concentrates on the consultancy business model. During the pandemic it has added six new self-employed solicitors and increased its employed support team by three.

Mr Inkster commented: "I am honoured that Inksters has won this year’s Self-employed/Sole Trader of the Year Award, because this is something very close to my heart.

"The pandemic affected businesses in a variety of ways, some very badly, others very well, but whatever the case, it made us all think hard about what we do.

"Inksters was transformed by it, fully adopting the exciting new ‘plug and play’ business model where, rather than being partners or employees, all solicitors are self-employed consultants within the Inksters brand, receiving back-office help and support from our Inksterplex hub in Glasgow."

He added: "Our fee-sharing model is unusual too in Scotland, one that we have pioneered very successfully here."

Andy Aird, FSB’s Scotland chairman, said: "We’ve got many businesses here that found opportunities in the difficulties of the COVID crisis. Others are using digital technologies to boost productivity and to find new customers.

"Lastly, these winners exemplify responsible business either through action to help the environment or activity to help their local community. 

"Our award winners really demonstrate the strength and depth in Scotland’s small business community." 

Each of the winners advances to the UK final to be held in May, in a bid to be crowned the UK Small Business of the Year.