Gilson Gray has seen an endorsement of its strategy to create a new business to revolutionise Scotland’s legal sector by winning the title of Best New Scottish Company. The firm picked up the accolade at the 2016 Scottish Variety Awards – the leading event to recognise Scotland’s up and coming talent.
The award – which saw the firm rub shoulders with the likes of actors David Hayman and Sanjeev Kholi as well as new names in Scottish showbiz – also helped to underpin Gilson Gray’s philosophy to create a forward-thinking law firm that challenges traditional thinking on how legal firms operate.
Glen Gilson, Managing Partner at Gilson Gray, said: “This is a fantastic honour for the Firm, especially given the quality of the other shortlisted businesses.
“In advance of our launch, we designed our product with reference to what our clients said they wanted; a ‘large law firm’ capability at a more competitive cost point, that was more commercial and approachable than the current market offering.
“We built our firm upon these principles and are delighted and humbled to be recognised with such a prestigious award. We cannot thank enough our clients, and indeed the wider Scottish business community, for their continued support.”
The Scottish Variety Awards, hosted by River City’s Leah MacRae and STV presenter David Farrell, honoured Scottish band Prides with Breakthrough Artist of the Year and presented singer Barbara Dickson with the Outstanding Achievement Award.
At its launch in May 2014, Gilson Gray – which operates from bases in both Glasgow and Edinburgh – became the biggest full-service legal firm to open in Scotland in more than 100 years, having secured some of the sharpest legal personnel from across the country.
The Scottish Variety Award follows other honours for Gilson Gray, including ‘Best Corporate Law Firm – Scotland’ at the prestigious Acquisitions International M and A awards 2015, and Law Firm of the Year and Client Service Law Firm of The Year in the Scottish ACQ Law Awards 2014/15. In addition, Glen Gilson was named Managing Partner of the Year and Steven Jansch ‘Scottish Insolvency Lawyer of the Year’ category in the Scottish ACQ Law Awards.
The firm has recently tripled the size of its Glasgow office in response to substantial recent expansion and further growth ambitions.
It has expanded onto the entire second floor at its 160 West George Street office, while retaining the ground floor – increasing total office space across both offices to over 10000 square feet.
Recent high profile acquisitions, which include the recruitment of an experienced Litigation team from Morisons Solicitors, along with a Residential Conveyancing team from Warners Solicitors, have contributed to the growing headcount.
From left to right: Anna Devitt – Scottish Comedian, Matthew Gray – Managing Director, Property Services, Derek Hamill – Partner, Corporate Law and Jimmy Thomson – Clean & Green, Award Sponsor.