Harper Macleod unveils biggest promotions round

Legal firm Harper Macleod has announced the biggest round of promotions in its 30-year history, with a total of 42 solicitors winning advancement, two thirds of them female.

They include two new partners, Jo Nisbet and Limor Wolfe in the firm's Corporate and Real Estate teams respectively, who take the firm's partner count to 66.

Both are based in the firm's Edinburgh office at Citypoint, Haymarket. Ms Nisbet plays an integral part in advising entrepreneurs and high-growth businesses, while Ms Wolfe advises on large commercial property deals in Scotland and beyond, in particular on the purchase and sale of investment properties and development sites, as well as corporate finance and restructuring.

The promotion round, which includes lawyers from across the firm's main offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Lerwick, comes after Harper Macleod conducted a review of its legal grade structure, introducing the additional levels of senior solicitor and senior associate to complement its traditional solicitor, associate and partner levels.

The 21 lawyers making the move up to senior associate are: Amy Dickson and Marina Harper (Personal Injury & Reparation), Amy Walsh (HM Connect), Andrew Fraser, Craig Ramsay and Lesley Wisely (Corporate), Andrew Mackenzie and Andrew Upton (Dispute Resolution), Catriona Kemp (Infrastructure & Projects), Collette Miller, Elizabeth Macgregor, Jill Fryer and Stephanie Nicol (Public Sector), Fiona McLeod and Natalie Dissake (Debt Recovery), Kathryn Black and Paul Greenhill (Real Estate & Construction), Lindsay MacEwen and Susie Cowan (Private Client), Lynne Stevenson (Energy & Natural Resources), and Scott Milligan (Employment).

There are seven new associates: Amy Mackenzie and Paul Macdonald (Corporate), Jenni Gear (Family), Kelly Sleight (Public Sector), Lewis Hendry and Tom Gray (Energy & Natural Resources), and Nicky-Ray Watson (Insolvency).

A further 12 step up to the new senior solicitor level: Keri Preece (Debt Recovery), Louise Torr, Craig Daniels and Fiona Strang (Corporate), Riccardo Matteo (Banking & Finance), Alastair Johnston (Dispute Resolution), Ann Gallagher (Energy & Natural Resources), Jane Whyte, Leigh Beirne and Sarah Stewart (Private Client), Jennifer Murphy (Public Sector), and Rory Byrom (Employment).

Announcing the promotions, Professor Lorne Crerar, firm chairman, commented: "Harper Macleod has always been a place of opportunity and many of our current partners have developed through our own ranks over the years – it is something we place enormous importance on and I'm delighted to note that 12 of the current promotions completed their traineeships with the firm. People are our business, and as the firm continues to develop we have ensured that the career path for our lawyers is best placed to respond to the needs of our clients and the firm."

Chief executive Martin Darroch added: "The scope and diversity of tasks our lawyers perform are constantly evolving and it is of utmost importance that we offer the right level of progression for our people. We believe this new structure provides a more clearly defined career path, giving recognition to more senior solicitors and associates."