Scots law firms Drummond Miller and Peacock Johnston team up to create medical and clinical negligence powerhouse

Two Scottish law firms have merged to create what they say is the “most experienced and accredited” medical and clinical negligence team north of the Border.

The deal sees Drummond Miller join forces with Peacock Johnston, which say they are both known for their medical negligence work in the east and west of of Scotland respectively.

The 11-strong Peacock Johnston team – six lawyers and five other staff – will join the Glasgow office of Drummond Miller, which has 14 partners and 100 other employees across five offices, including headquarters in Union Street, Edinburgh.

Terms of the deal are being kept under wraps, but it is expected that it will add around 10 per cent to the projected annual revenue of Drummond Miller, and the merging firms expect demand from clinical and medical negligence cases to grow over the coming months.

As a result of the merger, Peacock Johnston’s Andrew Pollock, a partner at since 1993, and Susith Dematagoda, an accredited clinical negligence specialist, become partners at Drummond Miller. Ken Waddell, a partner at Glasgow-based Peacock Johnston since 2004 and described as one of Glasgow’s best-known court practitioners, will work as a consultant, bringing his know-how in family, employment and criminal law. Likewise, Laura Ceresa, who is said to be an experienced and accredited clinical negligence specialist, will also assume a consultant role.

The team joining from Peacock Johnston, which was formed in 1981, will continue to use the brand name with most of its existing clients, in the short to medium term, to “provide continuity”.

Drummond Miller’s chief operating officer Ian Hartley said: “While both firms were already best-known in the medical and clinical negligence arena, this union takes us to an entirely new level.

From left: Susith Dematagoda and Andrew Pollock of Peacock Johnston, and Liesa Spiller and Darren Deery of Drummond Miller. Picture: Stuart Nicol Photography.

“Together we become by far Scotland’s biggest expert in this field. We hope it will also give even greater confidence to clients pursuing cases, who are often extremely vulnerable people in damaging and distressing situations.”

Mr Pollock said: “Beyond the clinical negligence work, this merger will also see us add real heft to Drummond Miller’s Glasgow office in terms of a litigation presence and in family law, employment law and criminal work, particularly in the Sheriff Court.

Values

“It is an excellent match. It is extremely pleasing to be coming together with such a like-minded firm, which shares our values and where we can continue to be proudly independent.”

Drummond Miller says it can trace its roots back to the 18th century, with the firm in its current guise formed in 1991 by the merger of Edinburgh firms Drummond & Company and Pairman, Miller & Murray.

In 2000 it acquired MacPhail & Co and L&L Lawrence to establish its Glasgow office, while in 2020 it expanded its Musselburgh business by taking over Alex Mitchell & Sons, which dates back 130 years. It also has offices in Bathgate and Dalkeith.

It says it has been involved in many leading Scottish medical negligence cases in recent years including one of the longest-running relating to birth damage in the Court of Session, and has successfully litigated and settled a “huge number” of varied claims. The firm also said it has recently been granted permission to take a fatal claim, acting on behalf of the family, in respect of alleged failures in care to the UK Supreme Court.