Law firm launches and targets robust growth of specialist hub in capital

Law firm Addleshaw Goddard is marking its continued investment in Scotland with the launch of an Edinburgh hub for its transaction services team (TST), which enables paralegals to carry out bulk legal work.

Mike Potter forecasts 'significant' growth for the new division. Picture: John Garon Photography.

The business said the move is a response to increased client demands and workloads in its Scottish offices – it is also present in Glasgow and Aberdeen – and will act as an “on the ground” resource for its core divisions regionally, “providing strategic access to more efficient ways of resourcing client assignments”.

Mike Potter, head of TST at Addleshaw Goddard, told The Scotsman that the team started out in Manchester and has grown to more than 170 people, “so it’s been a real success story for us” and came about after the firm sought to achieve greater efficiencies. It has continued to grow generating income of more than £11 million a year.

He also said Edinburgh was chosen as the firm looked to invest in Scotland in the wake of it buying HBJ Gateley in 2017 and tap into local talent. “This latest step reflects our ongoing determination to deliver better for clients by being located in the right places,” he stated.

Five paralegals – Kirsty Peters, Fraser Ramsay, Sarah Buzuk, Leo Kritikos and Megan Newrot – have joined TST in the Scottish capital, and it will be managed by West Middleton, a former legal apprentice who is relocating for the new role.

“We’re looking to grow and develop the team over the coming years,” Potter added, flagging the potential to create a variety of roles (with possible apprenticeships) and possibly open another hub north of the Border. He also stressed that the team has close supervision, while it will work with existing embedded paralegals in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and is seeing strong demand for financial regulatory work in Scotland.

Malcolm McPherson, senior partner for Addleshaw Goddard in Scotland, added: “Our TST is one example of how the firm is evolving to meet the needs of a growing client base in Scotland, and further afield.

“To expand the TST team in Edinburgh is part of our wider growth strategy, which will see continued investment in the firm across Scotland, be that via recruitment or through smart technology implementation which allows us to work more effectively to provide an improved all-round service.”