Lawyers vote for next leaders at Dundas & Wilson

Partners at Scottish law firm Dundas & Wilson will next week vote to elect a new managing partner and chairman, with six candidates in the frame.

Interim managing partners Caryn Penley and Allan Wernham will seek the role full-time against corporate lawyers Colin Massie and Michael Polson.

Real estate partner Iain Lindsay and IT partner Laurence Ward have put themselves forward for election as chairman.

Former managing partner Donald Shaw stepped down in March two years into his three-year term and now works with the real estate team.

David Hardie, the current chairman, and the interim managing partners are due to leave office on 31 July.

A secret ballot will take place next Thursday with the successful candidates announced the following day. They will take up office from 1 August on a four-year term. Hardie said: “Dundas & Wilson is a great firm with a proud history. This is an exciting time for a new leadership team to shape our future.”

The firm announced 28 job cuts in April after a review found it needed to reshape around “anticipated business needs”.

Last month four lawyers were promoted to partners: banking specialist Craig McGinn, litigator Graeme Macleod, Grigor Milne of the corporate team and energy and infrastucture lawyer Mark Kirke.

The firm traces its roots to 1759. It has 80 partners and 340 fee earners at its Edinburgh head office and in Aberdeen, Glasgow and London.

Last year’s turnover of £62 million was 2 per cent up on the previous year.