Scots legal firm MacRoberts books double-digit growth after 'considerable' investment

Scottish legal firm MacRoberts has reported double-digit increases in fee income and profits as it continues to invest in people and technology.

The firm, which operates out of offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, posted a 10 per cent rise in turnover for the year to the end of April, to £20.6 million. Profits rose by 17 per cent in the same period, though the figure was not disclosed.

It pointed to a number of highlights during the year, including an “exceptional” result from the firm’s credit management specialist, Yuill+Kyle, a property move to new offices in Edinburgh and “significant” upgrades and investment to all of its IT platforms and infrastructure.

The firm also continued to grow its client base in Scotland, the UK and internationally, with several new significant wins following successful tender bids.

MacRoberts' managing partner Neil Kennedy.

The past year has seen the growth of several key areas across the firm, with new partner promotions for Nicole Cook and Mark Quinn in property, as well as a lateral partner appointment in Isobell Reid within commercial dispute resolution.

As well as those appointments, the firm has seen a raft of promotions in areas including construction, corporate and commercial, IP and technology, projects, real estate, and private client and family law.

Meanwhile, the firm “rationalised” its occupation of property taking account of the post-pandemic shift to hybrid working. This included a move to new offices on George Street, Edinburgh.

Managing partner Neil Kennedy said: “I am pleased to post such a strong set of financial results to April 2022, which are the direct result of considerable strategic development and investment across all areas of the business, most notably in our operating platform, allowing us to deliver the highest quality service possible to our clients.

“We have prioritised our people, enhancing our existing agile platform, which has delivered immediate benefits in terms of engagement, well-being and inclusion,” he added. “As we move into the new financial year, we have continued that momentum with further strong growth in a number of key sectors and we anticipate another positive year for the firm, our people and our clients.”