Scottish law firm Shepherd + Wedderburn (S&W) is targeting growth in the north-east after snapping up Aberdeen firm The Commercial Law Practice (CLP).
The deal, which was for an undisclosed sum, sees CLP co-founder and partner Mike Anderson become a partner of Edinburgh-headquartered S&W.
CLP partners Keir Willox and Ma’aruf Razzak are now partner and director of S&W respectively. The fourth partner at CLP, Frances Evans, is taking up a new role in Ayrshire.
Based in Aberdeen’s West End, CLP was formed in January 1995 by Mr Anderson alongside Ian McLennan – now retired – and Innes Miller, who is now a partner at Aberdeen law firm James and George Collie.
The firm has since grown into a practice providing specialist commercial legal advice on Scots law to all sectors of the business community, from sole traders to firms with large and diverse interests across the UK.
Its 11 employees are all now working for S&W, which has about 80 partners and 500 staff in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and an existing office in Aberdeen, in Berry Street.
The CLP contingent, whose offices in Rubislaw Terrace will be rebranded, significantly expands S&W’s interest in the north-east from just two people who were previously working for the firm out of Aberdeen.
S&W chief executive Stephen Gibb said: “Aberdeen and the north-east remain a cornerstone of the Scottish economy.
“This acquisition means that we now have a significantly bigger footprint in the region and that in turn means that we can offer clients the benefit of an enhanced raft of services such as litigation, planning, banking and finance, and rural and private client advice, together with the corporate, commercial real estate and business law advice already offered.
“It represents a great investment for the firm and will be followed by further senior hires in the new year.”
Mr Anderson added: “We believe that there is a huge opportunity for Shepherd and Wedderburn to cement its position in the north-east, building on our combined strengths.
“I look forward to the challenge of helping to drive the business forward in this part of the country and beyond.”
S&W’s acquisition comes hot on the heels of two recent hires by the firm in the north-east.
John Rutherford, previously a senior corporate partner at Pinsent Masons, and Charles Scott, formerly managing partner at Mackinnons, will join forces with Mr Anderson and Mr Willox to drive forward the enlarged company’s Aberdeen business.