McGrigors
No of UK Partners: 75
No of UK Assistant Solicitors: 208
Other Fee Earners: 77
www.mcgrigors.com
Just as arch-rivals Dundas & Wilson found themselves independent again after the demise of their parent firm Arthur Andersen, McGrigor Donald was joining another major accountancy network, KPMG’s KLegal.
Subsequent regulatory change means that McGrigors has since become independent of KLegal again. Its relationship with KPMG remains close, with the accountants listed as one of its major clients, alongside the likes of BP, Royal Bank of Scotland, HBOS, BT, Anglian Water, O2 as well as Sven Goran Eriksson.
McGrigors offers a full service to these clients and others, with particular strengths in corporate, infrastructure (including banking, projects, PFI and construction), people services (employment and pensions), real estate, technology and risk advisory services and dispute resolution. It also has a number of more niche practices in areas such as human rights and tax litigation.
The firm is unique in that it has offices in all 3 UK legal jurisdictions – Scotland (where it has offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow), England & Wales (London) and Northern Ireland. Although it remains Scottish-based, Scotland senior partner Kirk Murdoch emphasises that the firm now operates on a UK-wide basis. The London office is home to 80 lawyers, more than are resident in Edinburgh (73), which in turn is only one short of its headcount in Glasgow (74). The Northern Ireland office has 6 lawyers based in Belfast. Both Scottish offices and the English office are fully-integrated and all offer the full range of services.
Lawyers looking to join McGrigors may need to be mobile.
“For us, it’s all about moving people and skills to the location that best suits the client,” Murdoch says. “If a client wants a transaction run out of a particular office, we will do that, both physically and through the use of technology.”
London will be the focus for much of the firm’s future growth, although it also remains committed to strengthening its market position in Scotland, where it vies with Dundas & Wilson for top spot. McGrigors' growth in London will also provide opportunities for its Scottish lawyers to practice in London and vice versa, Murdoch adds.
Whether in London or Scotland, the prerequisites for successful candidates are the same – brains, application and knowledge – and those who can display the added extras of creativity and people skills will be in clover. In London, recruitment has been from a variety of City (including magic circle) firms and strong regional practices, while in Scotland, the firm tries to grow its own as much as possible. When it does recruit externally, personal qualities count for more than firm background. The firm also recruits English-qualified lawyers into its Scottish offices, especially those with commercial property experience. All assistants have the opportunity to become dual-qualified.
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