Scottish legal heavyweight Thorntons sees promoted trio start 2023 in new roles as partners

Dundee-headquartered law firm Thorntons has seen three legal directors begin 2023 in their new roles as partners – harnessing their collective 50-plus years’ experience.

Both Anne Miller and Mike Kemp have been promoted to partner in the dispute resolution and claims team in Dundee while Graeme Dickson steps up to partner in the private client team in Edinburgh. Mr Dickson joined Thorntons as a senior solicitor in 2012 while Ms Miller joined the firm at the same level in 2015 and Mr Kemp in 2016, all “quickly making their mark, delivering results for clients and supporting growth and development within their specialist fields”.

Thorntons said Ms Miller and Mr Kemp act for a wide variety of clients across Scotland, encompassing universities, small and medium-sized enterprises, family businesses, landowners, individuals, corporate creditors, and insolvency practitioners. Ms Miller is credited with a particular focus on insolvency and restructuring, debt recovery, contentious intellectual property, commercial contract disputes, telecomms and alternative dispute resolution. Mr Kemp in turn has experience in all matters of commercial litigation, but specialises in supporting clients in education, contentious commercial property and mediation, according to Thorntons.

The law firm – which now has 13 offices including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Montrose to St Andrews, Arbroath and Perth – said Mr Dickson holds the Trust and Estate Practitioner qualification awarded by Step, which it describes as the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. He advises individuals and families on issues including wills, powers of attorney, executries, contentious estates, inheritance tax planning and asset protection.

From left: new partner Mike Kemp, the firm's chair Colin Graham, and new partner Anne Miller. Picture: Chris Scott Photography Dundee.

Thorntons chair Colin Graham said: “Graeme, Mike and Anne are all fantastic examples of the learning and development opportunities we provide across the firm. Their progression to leadership roles is well deserved as they are great assets to the business and their respective teams. It’s an exciting time for them to contribute to our ongoing ambitious and progressive plans for Thorntons in 2023 and beyond.”

The legal firm, which was started by Sir Thomas Thornton in 1857, in February of this year unveiled record annual revenues, and the following month announced a merger with Edinburgh-based Stuart & Stuart WS, which can trace its origins back to 1804.