Brodies LLP
No of Partners: 45
No of Assistant Solicitors: 99
www.brodies.co.uk
Brodies LLP, regarded by top legal directory Chambers & Partners as a firm with a “dynamic, forward-looking outlook,” has, however, rejected the strategy of some of the other members of this club by resisting expansion beyond its Edinburgh base.
Managing partner, Bill Drummond, has long insisted that clients, existing and prospective, are more concerned about the quality of their lawyers rather than their location. He considers having all their lawyers in one place means they can assemble cross-disciplinary teams more efficiently than multi-site firms.
“We have a client-base from Shetland to Solway, but we can service them all from Edinburgh,” Drummond says. “Clients are sophisticated enough to seek out particular expertise based on need, not where they are.”
The firm’s single-site policy does not seem to be doing it any harm so far. Despite a tough market, Brodies increased its turnover by 16% in the financial year to 2004 (the fourth year in succession that it was in double figures), driven partly by its property department, which advised on property deals worth £150m. Other areas of strength include banking (which boasts Royal Bank of Scotland’s former legal head Derek Arnott as a consultant), employment, corporate tax, commercial litigation and corporate.
Brodies has also developed a particular reputation in the transport sector, where it has developed a specialism in advising on rail franchises. The firm has retained its long-held position as one of Scotland’s leading private client advisers.
Brodies has a strong UK & international client base, with a host of great London-based clients and City firm connections. However, a large proportion of its work focuses on advising Scottish clients and on the Scottish aspects of cross-border deals. Clients, which are drawn from both the public and private sectors and wealthy individuals, include the Scottish Executive, the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Ministry of Defence and Rolls-Royce.
One of the firm’s biggest strengths, according to Drummond, is its ability to pull together and work in teams. Lawyers looking to apply to Brodies will need to be able to demonstrate they can do this effectively. Other qualities of which the firm is proud include proactivity, pragmatism and commercial awareness. It goes without saying applicants will need to display these qualities if they are to join Brodies’ fee-earners.
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