Major Scottish legal firm unveils sixth year of consecutive growth

Andrew Blain, managing partner of Edinburgh-headquartered legal firm Shepherd and Wedderburn. Picture: Mike Wilkinson

Scottish legal heavyweight Shepherd and Wedderburn has notched up its sixth year of consecutive growth, after reporting a 7 per cent rise in revenues.

The firm said turnover had risen to £66.7 million in the year to the end of April, with net profits, before partner distributions, growing by 3 per cent to £27.1m. Shepherd and Wedderburn, which has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, London and Dublin, announced in July that staff would receive an exceptional bonus of 5 per cent of their annual salary.

The firm pointed to strong revenue growth across all divisions, including clean energy, property, financial services and technology. It also gained from the expansion of its private wealth and rural teams following investment made in those areas in recent years. In May, the firm relocated its Edinburgh headquarters to the new Haymarket office development. Bosses said the move aligned with the firm's broader goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Managing partner Andrew Blain said: ““I am pleased to announce another year of strong financial growth in what has been a constantly shifting and challenging environment. By continuing with our planned programme of strategic investments, we have enhanced the strength and depth of key practice areas. As we look ahead to 2023/2024 and the final year of our three-year strategy, we are pleased to note that our approach has proven to be strong and resilient, with growth and continued progress towards our goals.”

Notable deals over the past 12 months included advising Mangata Edge with concluding investment documentation for a manufacturing facility at Prestwick Aerospace Park, advising Crerar Hotel Group in connection with the sale of the company to Blantyre Capital and Fairtree Hotel Investments, and advising Taylor Wimpey on the landmark Greater Blindwells development, which is set to deliver thousands of new homes and community facilities in East Lothian.

Blain added: “I am grateful to my colleagues for their consistent dedication to providing high-quality service across the firm. Additionally, I would like to thank our clients for their continued trust in us and we remain committed to providing exceptional support as we move forward together.”

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