UK top 50 law firm Freeths is expanding into Scotland with two key appointments as it opens its first office outside England.
The commercial law specialist - whose clients include Aldi, Tarmac, Experian, and Lloyds Bank - has recruited partners Paul Ockrim and Nick Taylor from Addleshaw Goddard to head up its new office in Glasgow's Atlantic Quay, with plans to establish a full-service offering in the region.
The move comes after the firm, now with 13 locations throughout the UK, announced a 15% increase in revenues taking turnover to £129 million. It now ranks 47th in The Lawyer's top 100 UK law firms.
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“As a firm, we have ambitious plans for further growth in the coming years," national managing partner Karl Jansen said. "Scotland is an important part of the UK’s economy and therefore integral to our core strategy.
“There is real opportunity for us to build our business in Scotland, delivering an innovative and progressive service for clients in the region. Aligned with our culture and values, both Paul and Nick bring a skill set that will add more breadth and depth to our national offering."
Mr Ockrim specialises in commercial real estate and regularly advises developers, tenants, investors and funding institutions in retail, leisure, banking, investment and development deals.
Mr Taylor focuses on investment and development finance, assisting clients on a variety of real estate resource-based projects such as renewable energy developments.
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“Nick and I have worked with Freeths over a number of years, so we know them well and share their values and ambitions, and the opportunity to join their exciting journey and open the new office in Scotland was too good to miss," Mr Ockrim said.
Mr Taylor added: “Freeths has a fantastic track record of expanding into new markets, and the strength and depth of the national resource will provide a great platform for us and our clients as we look to recruit a full-service team of like-minded lawyers and build a compelling proposition.”
Originally operating out of the Midlands, Freeths has built its London base from a team of two in 2013 into a 100-strong multi-disciplinary team. It last new office in Bristol, opened in April 2019, has grown from a team of two to more than 50 lawyers with revenues up by 51% in the last 12 months.
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