Growth Of New Law Firm Bucks Trend

Gilson Gray, Scotland’s largest new full service legal firm, has underpinned its focus on sustained growth by completing a number of key developments in its first six months of operation.

With many large Scottish firms having sought sanctuary or merger with larger English parent firms, Gilson Gray has bucked the trend in the sector, continuing to make further high profile Scottish appointments and launching new products.

The strategy has seen the business become one of the highest profile launches in the history of the sector and has resulted in the firm being ahead of budget for its first two quarters.

Glen Gilson, Managing Partner at Gilson Gray, said the progress further demonstrates the firm’s commitment to become one of the leading law firms in Scotland over the next few years.

Glen said: “Our goal was to offer clients an immediate, credible and cost effective alternative to the leading full service firms in Scotland.

“Our strategy has been to drive growth by attracting the best talent in their respective fields, and as result, there are very few firms in the sector that we cannot match or indeed surpass in terms of quality, expertise and cost to the client.

“Our performance over the first six months of operations has been very pleasing and we are extremely grateful for the support of our client base and the wider Scottish business community.

“A firm launch such as our own has never been attempted before.  The breadth of service, scale and geographic coverage of the firm immediately offers clients an alternative provider to the leading Scottish firms. We provide a transparently and persuasively priced service.

“We also only employ partners and staff that know how to engage properly with clients to make the service exceptional and wherever possible enjoyable.  We wish to break from the perception that lawyers are detached and unapproachable.

“Our financial success to date is merely a reflection of our having applied client views on how legal services should be delivered.

“We hope to announce further senior appointments over the next few weeks, and continue to encourage the very best of Scottish talent to join us.  We are currently involved in negotiations for further acquisitions and are also considering expanding into additional Scottish locations.”

Gilson Gray, the largest new full service practice to open in Scotland in more than 100 years attracted a significant team of market-leading specialists from across the Scottish legal, property and financial sectors to launch the business. The firm offers Scottish and English qualified lawyers from its Scottish centric bases in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Soon after launch, the firm announced the creation of Gilson Gray Financial Management, which saw it take assets under management (AUM) to around £100million.

In the intervening period, co-founder Matthew Gray, who is Managing Director of Gilson Gray Property Services, was appointed Scottish Regional Executive for the National Association of Estate Agents; Craig Darling, formerly with HBJ Gateley, was appointed Head of Business Restructuring and Recoveries; ex Deloitte executive Garry Fyfe was appointed Financial Director; and Stuart Lindsay, a senior corporate banker previously with Clydesdale Bank, joined Gilson Gray Financial Services.

Gilson Gray has also launched Engage, a new HR and employment law product for businesses, aimed at firms who wish to manage their HR risk for a known annual cost.

Matthew Gray added that Gilson Gray strive to offer a fresh approach to legal services.

He said: “From day one, we believed discerning corporate, commercial and private clients wanted the option of a major new full service firm that offered high quality legal, financial and property services which are neither impersonal nor impenetrable.

“To reach such a satisfactory position in our first six months provides proof that this strategy is correct and provides us with the confidence to accelerate our growth aspirations.”

Many of the Gilson Gray lawyers are dual qualified in both Scottish and English law and the firm is supported by a full complement of legal, property, financial and administrative staff.

The firm’s offices are at 29 Rutland Square, Edinburgh, and 160 West George Street, Glasgow.