McClure Naismith
No of UK Partners: 31
No of UK Assistant Solicitors: 66
Other UK Fee Earners: 32
www.McClureNaismith.com
Small it may be, but McClure Naismith has a client list many larger practices would kill for, including the likes of Bank of America, Bank of Scotland, Barratt Homes, Celtic Plc, Coal Pension Properties Ltd, Elphinstone Group, First Engineering, Kentucky Fried Chicken Ltd, Royal Bank of Scotland and Whyte & Mackay.
The 31-partner firm splits its fee-earners fairly evenly between its Glasgow and Edinburgh offices, with 39 and 30 qualified lawyers respectively and, unusually for a firm of its size, also boasts a 12-lawyer London office.
Its presence in the English capital, the firm says, allows it to provide a UK-wide service and the firm can give English law advice from all 3 of its offices. Overwhelmingly commercial law focused, McClure Naismith offers the range of corporate and commercial legal services and has earned a particular reputation in corporate IP, banking, projects and property and is well-known for its focus on the drinks, retail and leisure and construction industries.
The past few years have seen the firm grow at 10-15% per annum and it expects to maintain this rate of expansion for the foreseeable future, especially in its banking and commercial property departments. It is adamant, however, that growth will remain organic and has no intentions to enter into cross-border mergers or major domestic ones. “We prefer controlled and organic growth,” says Senior Partner, Dr Kenneth Chrystie.
Recruitment activity then is likely to remain strong in future and the key qualities the firm is looking for include academic ability combined with common sense, interpersonal skills, IT literacy and the ability to work under pressure.
“We are looking for the partners of tomorrow,” Chrystie says.
“Our lawyers have a strong reputation amongst clients for actually giving advice rather than simply setting out and explaining the legal options. This means we are looking for lawyers with a motivated, self-starting personality and the potential to be all-round business advisers not just lawyers to our clients. Our commercial approach is introduced to our lawyers during their traineeship and reinforced throughout their career with the firm, including through targeted continuing professional development.”
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