Burness Paull: ‘Refined’ three-year strategy paying off as law firm’s turnover tops £93 million

Scottish legal heavyweight Burness Paull said it was already seeing the benefits of a “refined” three-year growth strategy as it reported annual turnover of more than £93 million.

Chairman Peter Lawson hailed a “solid year of trading” at the firm, which saw growth across all key practice areas. The financial year to the end of March 2025 also witnessed a change of leadership at the firm that saw Mark Ellis assume the role of managing partner midway through the period.

Turnover for the year amounted to £93.5m and overall profit was £35.9m as the firm made investments in support of a new three-year strategic growth plan and “to ensure clients receive the highest quality advice amid ongoing economic uncertainty”. Those figures compare with turnover of £60.1m and profit of £24.3m for the prior, shortened eight-month period after the firm decided to change its year-end following tax reporting reforms and to “align with market norms”.

Peter Lawson is the chairman of law firm Burness Paull which has 700 people, including 95 partners, serving clients from its offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Burness Paull has 700 people, including 95 partners, serving clients from its operations in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Lawson said: “A solid year of trading saw growth across all key practice areas, with our corporate M&A, energy, banking and funds, disputes, employment, cyber, and restructuring and insolvency teams performing particularly well.

“When Mark took over as managing partner, we initiated the most rigorous business planning exercise we have ever undertaken as a firm. The result was a refined three-year strategy beginning the 2025/26 financial year that, combined with the investments we have made in our people and infrastructure, offers us a clear roadmap for sustainable, profitable growth over the long term.

“We are already seeing the benefits of the new strategy through a strong start to the current financial year, which has seen us win instructions from across Scotland, the UK and internationally.”

He added: “It remains a dynamic business environment characterised by increased levels of investor confidence and transactional activity due to falling interest rates, paired with caution around cost pressures and volatility in global trade policy.”

Notable client mandates for the year included advising i3 Energy on its takeover by Gran Tierra Energy in a deal valued at £174m, Springfield Properties in relation to its partnership with Barratt to deliver a new village settlement of 3,000 homes at Durieshill on the outskirts of Stirling, and the Scottish Football Association on the sale of UK and international broadcasting rights.

Earlier this month, larger peer Brodies said it had racked up its 15th consecutive year of growth, triggering a 5 per cent bonus for hundreds of staff.

The firm’s latest results revealed that total revenues rose to £126.7m for the year ending April 30, 2025 - an increase of some 11 per cent from £114.3m the previous year. Operating profit also grew, reaching in excess of £50m, up from £49.2m, with profit per equity partner recorded at £885,296.

Continued investment in several key areas saw headcount increase by about 5 per cent, from 837 to 883.

Scottish legal giant with 700 staff unveils new managing partner and senior roles