Biggart profits rise but staff cut

BIGGART Baillie, the mid-tier Scottish law firm, saw profit rise almost 11 per cent last year, but the practice reduced staff numbers by 14 per cent amid continued tough trading in the legal sector north of the Border.

Accounts filed at Companies House show profit for the year to 30 June - before members' remuneration and profit shares - grew to 4.96 million from 4.49m the year before. Operating profit also increased, to 5.02m from 4.48m previously.

But turnover dropped 7 per cent to 16.2m, in a year when many Scottish legal practices complained of continued pressure on fee income.

The firm, which has 39 partners and was the subject of merger rumours last year, reduced its staff from 231 to 199.

Administrative and support staff saw the greatest cut in headcount, from 124 to 98, while the firm ended the period with six fewer lawyers than at the end of its 2008-9 financial year.

Glasgow-headquartered Biggart was last year linked to a potential merger with Anderson Strathern. Commentators speculated that it would have propelled the combined firm into the top four biggest legal practices in Scotland.

Lawyers expect the market to go through a period of consolidation over the next couple of years as clients are still heaping pressure on firms to reduce fees.