Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie unveils big expansion in Inverness

Legal firm Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie has announced significant growth in Inverness with seven new recruits and an office expansion.

The raft of new hires sees staff numbers jump from 18 to 25, while the premises have been extended to almost 3,000sq ft.

Rod MacLean joins WJM’s Private Client division as a partner from Inverness practice Murchison Law, bringing 25 years’ experience in private client practice across Edinburgh and Inverness. He will lead the team alongside JP Campbell, who was assumed as a partner last month. A member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP), he sits on the Council of the Scottish Law Agents Society and is a member of the Crofting Law Group.

The team will be further bolstered by solicitors Hannah Prentice and Lauren Farquhar, paralegals Anna Macleod-Adams and Jenni Evans, and secretary Marion Urquhart.

Meanwhile Roddy Cormack, who joins from Ledingham Chalmers, will head WJM’s Construction team as a legal director. He has extensive experience in both the private and public sectors, providing advice on procurement, contract negotiation, collateral warranties, CDM regulation, dispute advice and more.

Angus MacLeod, lead partner at WJM’s Inverness office, said the move marked a significant step in developing the firm’s service offering. He commented: "Our Inverness office opened in 2011 with one person at the helm and in just eight short years we have seen exponential growth in our team and our client base. We have now recruited at a range of levels, taking on a new partner, legal director, two solicitors, two paralegals and a secretary.

"The new recruits have been chosen because of their high level of relevant expertise and their strong local connections which give them an innate understanding of life and business in the Highlands & Islands."