Chris Mullen’s top role at legal group as McGrigors name disappears

PINSENT Masons senior partner Chris Mullen is to head up the expanded law firm following its merger with the long-established Scottish practice McGrigors.

Kirk Murdoch, who held a similar position at McGrigors, becomes one of four non-executive directors. Sources in legal circles believe he will be appointed Scottish chairman of the new firm. A spokesman declined to comment.

David Ryan, managing partner, and Steve Hancock, finance director, will join the board from Pinsent Masons, as will Alastair Morrison, who will remain head of client strategy. Richard Masters, managing partner at McGrigors since 2008, takes up the new role of head of client operations.

The merger, creating a firm with revenues of £300 million, was announced earlier this week. It will be based in London and will mean the disappearance of the McGrigors name after more than 200 years. The merger goes live on 1 May.

Mullen said: “The new board structure gives us a strong and highly experienced management team to lead the growth of our business in the coming years.”

Under Masters, McGrigors saw significant expansion in Britain and overseas.

The firm merged with London litigation boutique Reid Minty in 2008, combined with market-leading Northern Ireland firm L’Estrange & Brett in 2009, and bulked up its Manchester offering in 2010.

It has also launched in Doha and signed a referral agreement with US firm Husch Blackwell during 2011.

Masters said: “Our clients often speak to us about providing our services in new and different ways, and in this [new] role I will be responsible for innovation in the way the combined business delivers services to clients.”

The firm will be among the biggest in Britain, just outside the top ten, with 2,500 employees, including 1,500 lawyers and 350 partners.