Brodies appoints leading corporate lawyer and announces two partner promotions

Brodies LLP has expanded its corporate & commercial team with the appointment of new partner Derek Stroud, who has 25 years’ experience in corporate advisory work, M&A transactions and private equity deals. His appointment coincides with the promotion of two lawyers to partner, one to director, four to managing associate and nine to associate.

The newly-promoted partners are Helen Abrams (real estate) and Sarah-Jane McArthur (energy & infrastructure). The partner promotions reflect continued investment in key areas of commercial activity including housebuilding, the leisure sector, and renewables and infrastructure projects.

Mr Stroud, who will join Brodies in the summer from Pinsent Masons, is ranked by the Chambers & Partners as a leader in his field and has extensive experience acting for large corporates based both in Scotland and overseas, including group restructuring and M&A and in private equity investment. His appointment, together with the internal promotions, and the arrival in April of another well-known corporate partner and private equity specialist, Douglas Crawford, will take the total number of Brodies’ partners to 93.

The new managing associates are Scott Logan (land & rural business), Angela McCulloch (personal & family), Rhona McFarlane (energy & infrastructure) and Fiona Morrison (employment).

The new associates are Ciaran Dougherty, Lynn Livesey, Caitlin McNeishand Ryan Openshaw (all promoted within Brodies’ full-service litigation and regulatory team), Danny George and Gillian Watson (both real estate), Kimberley Forman and Jack Moir (both banking & finance) and Paul Breen(corporate & commercial).

Brodies has also announced the creation of a new advocacy unit, building on the success of its litigation department. The unit will bring together and coordinate the advocacy work of lawyers across the department, including 10 solicitor advocates.

The establishment of the unit in part reflects the projected shift of litigation work from the Court of Session to the sheriff courts and will give clients an increased choice and an alternative to instructing members of the Faculty of Advocates.

The unit will be led by Christine O’Neill, chairman of Brodies, who will be supported by Laura Brain, the firm’s new director of advocacy.

Bill Drummond, managing partner of Brodies, said: “Derek’s appointment, together with our internal promotions led by Sarah-Jane and Helen, and Doug’s arrival last month, underscore our continued investment targeted at supporting the growth of key sectors in the Scottish economy through the delivery of the broad range of specialist legal services relevant to clients and today’s marketplace.

“Brodies has a long tradition of providing specialist litigation services, including advocacy, going back to the days when the late David Williamson QC was one of the first solicitor advocates and then Queen’s Counsel in the solicitors’ branch of the legal profession. We look forward to continuing that tradition and further enhancing our market-leading reputation with the establishment of our new Advocacy Unit.”