SIMON BAIN
Edinburgh-based Simpson & Marwick, founded in 1886, has become the latest Scottish law firm to give up its independence in a cross-Border merger.
The deal with Clyde & Co, the eleventh largest UK firm with 1500 lawyers and 40 offices worldwide, was flagged by both sides four months ago and has now been formally agreed by the Scottish firm’s 45 partners.
It follows an aborted merger two years ago with English firm Kennedy’s, which like Clyde has a strong position in the insurance sector and was seeking a Scottish presence.
Simpson & Marwick carried off three awards at last year’s Law Awards of Scotland including law firm of the year and best employment and property practice. It turned over £28million last year and increased both revenue and profit by around 12 per cent.
Gordon Keyden, managing partner, commented: “We didn’t need to do this from a financial point of view, we are doing it from a strategic point of view, this is not a McClures, another firm disappearing, this is the merger of two financially robust firms.”
Glasgow-based McClure Naismith fell into administration last month owing at least £2m to creditors, while Edinburgh firm Tods Murray was bought out of administration last year by bigger neighbour Shepherd & Wedderburn.
Clyde was founded in 1933 by Scot Richard Clyde and attained its current size largely through a merger with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert four years ago in which 15 per cent of the smaller firm’s partners faced redundancy.
But senior partner James Burns said there was “no duplication” in roles in the Scottish merger.
S & M has four Scottish and three English offices and will trade as Clyde & Co except in residential property, where it will retain the Scottish brand. Richard Loudon, property director, said it was "great to be a partner in an international law firm".and to be retaining the brand.
Simpson & Marwick is said by legal bible Chambers to be "renowned for their excellence in advocacy and mediation", housing the largest Solicitor Advocacy Unit in Scotland, while the Legal 500 legal directory ranks the firm number one in Scotland for employment, health and safety, professional negligence, and defendant personal injury
Mr Keyden said the employment practice already worked UK-wide, helped by the firm’s offices in London, Leeds and Newcastle, and saw it as an opportunity to expand.
Mr Burns said: “Simpson & Marwick is the go-to firm for many of our clients in Scotland and we’ve long held it in high regard.
"Not only does it firmly position us as the leading insurance-sector firm on both sides of the border but it benefits our clients across all our sectors by giving us a great platform to meet their legal needs in Scotland.”
He said the combination would position Clyde particularly strongly in casualty, healthcare and professional lines.
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