Legal firm Ledingham Chalmers agrees 'milestone' acquisition of Inverness peer

Ledingham Chalmers, the Aberdeen-headquartered legal firm, has extended its presence in Inverness after agreeing a “milestone” takeover.

The deal for Anderson Shaw & Gilbert (ASG) forms part of Ledingham’s nationwide growth plans and creates a business with annual revenues of about £14 million and a headcount of 196 including 29 partners. All 19 ASG personnel will join Ledingham Chalmers.

ASG’s commercial property, corporate, rural and private client teams will trade under the Ledingham Chalmers brand with Joe Duncan joining as commercial property partner. Meanwhile, its estate agency practice will retain its name, with Findlay Boyd as conveyancing partner, along with Iain McDonald as director. This complements the work of Ledingham Chalmers Estate Agency which, following the transfer of Simpson & Marwick’s north-east estate agency practice in 2019, became one of Aberdeen’s largest in terms of number and value of properties sold.

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Ledingham Chalmers’ managing partner, Jennifer Young, described the deal as an important milestone in the firm’s strategy to double its revenue to £25m by 2025.

Jennifer Young and Findlay Boyd after agreeing the deal. Picture: Alastair RobbJennifer Young and Findlay Boyd after agreeing the deal. Picture: Alastair Robb
Jennifer Young and Findlay Boyd after agreeing the deal. Picture: Alastair Robb

She said: “Strategic acquisitions are part of our ambitious growth plans to double our revenue to £25m by 2025. This deal, bringing ASG’s extremely well-respected commercial, corporate and private client expertise to our firm, is the latest part of our commitment to actively pursue acquisition and merger opportunities across Scotland - including in the Central Belt - that add measurable value to clients. Locally, it’s a milestone in the evolution of our Inverness office where our offering has grown over the last couple of years beyond what remains a strong public sector client base, and specialised business law practice, to the full-service model that has served us so well in Aberdeen.”

ASG was established in the 1880s and provides legal advice to private individuals and business clients across the north of Scotland. Its Church Street premises will be home to all estate agency, conveyancing and private client personnel. Meanwhile, the corporate, rural, litigation and employment law teams will work out of Ledingham Chalmers’ current Kintail House site. The commercial property team will be spread across both offices.

Boyd said: “This is a mutually beneficial deal and gives ASG the opportunity to access a larger team of solicitors providing a broader range of advice in what is an impressive service for clients ranging from first-time buyers looking for a home, to multinationals considering global mergers and acquisitions. All clients can expect a seamless transition and we’ve already been in touch with them to let them know what they can expect over the coming days and weeks, and that includes continuing to deal with their usual contacts.”

Last month, Ledingham Chalmers revealed that it had set aside £200,000 to support staff tackle the rising cost of living as it posted record revenues. The firm’s financial results for 2021/22 revealed its highest turnover - £12.8m - since becoming a limited liability partnership (LLP) in 2006. Turnover for the group, including subsidiary Ledingham Chalmers Financial, amounted to £13.6m, compared with £12.3m in 2020/21. Group profit rose to £4.1m from £4m the previous year.

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