The promotions of Andrew Upton in dispute resolution, Collette Miller and Jill Fryer in public sector & social housing, and employment team members Scott Milligan and Lorna Davis take the firm’s total number of partners to 67.

Harper Macleod chairman Professor Lorne Crerar said: “I am thrilled to have these fantastic colleagues join me as partners of Harper Macleod. While legal business models are changing the ambition of many young lawyers remains to make partner one day and it’s a great pleasure to be able to reward their tireless efforts by making that dream a reality.

“We have always strived to create a place of opportunity for all of our people to develop and these promotions demonstrate that. All five are not only great solicitors but excellent people to work with and they are valued by both their clients and their colleagues. I am sure they will contribute to the continued success of Harper Macleod and our clients over the coming years.”

The new partners are spread throughout Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness while four of the five last year became senior associates in the firm following a legal grading restructure – among 42 internal promotions overall.

Chief executive Martin Darroch added: “These promotions come as the firm enters the next financial year in a position of real strength. We have a clear strategy to grow across all of our sectors, particularly in the three areas in which these promotions come, and also to grow across Scotland which is reflected in the geographical spread of our new partners. They should be extremely proud to become partners in this firm and we believe they will help us deliver great things for our clients.”

Mr Upton, a member firm’s dispute resolution team, is the latest solicitor at the firm to have come all the way through the grades from trainee to partner. His association with Harper Macleod extends beyond joining the firm straight from university in 2009, having carried out school work experience and summer placements beforehand. He advises clients across both the private and public sectors in all litigious matters and is a recommended lawyer for property litigation in the Legal 500 directory.

Ms Miller is a member of Harper Macleod’s public sector & housing team. As well as advising many local authorities and other public bodies, she specialises in advising many of Scotland’s social housing providers and has played a key role in the team which has advised them on private placement investment deals worth £500 million in the past year. She is highlighted as a ‘next generation lawyer’ in Legal 500.

Ms Fryer, who becomes the eighth partner based in the firm’s Inverness office, has extensive experience advising clients in relation to matters including public procurement, competition law, state aid and other regulatory matters. She also advises both public and private sector clients in relation to all types of commercial contracts. She is a recommended lawyer in Legal 500 for both EU & competition law and corporate and commercial.

Mr Milligan, who joined the firm as a solicitor in 2011, advises clients across the public and private sectors and has particular experience in advising on the employment law aspects of large commercial transactions, often with international elements. Based in Harper Macleod’s Edinburgh office at Citypoint, Haymarket, he is recognised as a recommended lawyer in Legal 500.

Ms Davis is the most recent addition to the firm to make partner, having joined Harper Macleod from Morton Fraser last year. She is a Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist in employment law and is recommended by both Chambers UK and Legal 500.

She has a broad practice covering both employers and employees on contentious and non-contentious employment matters and appears at employment tribunals throughout Scotland. She also acts for employees in professional regulatory hearings such as the General Teaching Council for Scotland.