Legal firm Harper Macleod boosts partnership count to 77

Scots legal firm Harper Macleod has boosted its partnership team to 77 with five new promotions

The firm, which has operations covering Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Elgin, Thurso and Shetland, said that in addition to the partner appointments, it had promoted 20 colleagues as part of its career programme.

Leigh Beirne, who leads the private client practice in Shetland and joined the firm as a trainee, becomes a partner, along with Jenni Gear, also based in Lerwick, Glasgow-based Tom Gray and Ricardo Matteo, and Laura McLean, who is based in the firm’s Elgin and Inverness offices.

Chairman Lorne Crerar said: “It is a proud moment to announce new partner promotions, who illustrate our values of innovation, collaboration and responsibility to our clients, colleagues and communities.

“We have always placed huge value and importance on development and growth opportunities. Every partner appointment is a tremendous achievement, and it should be congratulated even more so given the challenges everyone has faced in recent years.”

Martin Darroch, Harper Macleod chief executive, added: “Harper Macleod is a place of opportunity for all. We recognise the environment in which our clients are operating, and have invested in those areas to ensure we can further support them in the years ahead.

“What matters to our clients, matters to us, which means we need to continually innovate and develop talent to match our clients’ needs.”

The promotions includes eight lawyers promoted to senior associate level: Lynsey Brown (family), Sascha Cochran (risk and compliance), Cinzia Duncan (private client), Ann Gallagher (rural), Calum Gee (dispute resolution), Lewis Hendry (energy), Alastair Johnston (dispute resolution) and Rory Paterson (commercial property).