Lifetime award for Urquhart as MBM Commercial named Law Awards Firm of Year

Morton Fraser chairman Linda Urquhart was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at this Year's Law Awards of Scotland, at which Edinburgh practice MBM Commercial was also named Firm of the Year.

Other top firm awards went to Digby Brown (law firm of more than 40 fee earners), McKinstry & Co of Ayr (High Street firm) and DLA Piper (Global law firm). Aamer Anwar of Beltrami & Co took the title Solicitor of the Year, while McKinstry's founder Graeme McKinstry took the managing partner title and Philip Rodney of Burness Paull was recognised with the award from the chair of the judging panel, Colin Anderson.

Practice area awards went to Allan McDougall (private client), Shoosmiths (property, and debt recovery), Family Law Matters Scotland (family law), Gilson Gray (litigation), Beltrami & Co (criminal law), Harper Macleod (energy), and CYBG plc (in-house). 

Gregor Smith of Bishopbriggs was Sole Practitioner of the Year, while Team of the Year went to Macdonald Henderson, and there were joint winners of the CSR firm award in Digby Brown and Innes & Mackay.

Jen Paton of Shoosmiths as up-and-coming lawyer, and John Morgan of Brodies with the trainee prize, completed the individual solicitor awards.

Speaking for the judges, Mr Anderson said Ms Urquhart had been chosen for her award as "The panel recognised her remarkable career in the law and her unique contribution to the profession, having been the first female chief executive of a Scottish law firm in Morton Fraser. She has also demonstrated how to build a non-executive career with the various board positions she holds outside of the law.”