Chambers and Partners, which was released at the start of November, ranked 11 solicitors from the firm’s Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Inverness offices, working in the agriculture and rural affairs, construction, employment law, family law, and personal injury team.
The guide also ranked four departments: personal injury, construction, employment law and real estate.
In addition, the 2019 Legal 500 guide, published at the end of last month, ranks Ledingham Chalmers — which has offices in Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh and Stirling — as one of the most highly regarded firms outside Scotland’s central belt.
Taking on board the results of extensive research, including feedback from clients, 14 practice areas attracted praise, including agriculture and estates and employment law — two areas where the firm was ranked higher than last year in Legal 500 — corporate and commercial, energy, banking and finance, insolvency and corporate recovery, commercial litigation, real estate, construction, commercial property, planning, environmental, family and matrimonial and personal injury.
Thirty-five personnel from the firm are recognised — including ten of those mentioned in Chambers and Partners.
Inverness-based partner Victoria Leslie who is mentioned for the first time in both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 guide for her work in both commercial litigation and personal injury law.
Mrs Leslie, who acts regularly for private and public sector clients in civil litigation disputes, is described as “determined and tenacious” with “a strong track record of fantastic results” for her work in personal injury law, an area in which she is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland.
The research carried out by Legal 500 also acknowledges, for the first time, the “friendly and efficient” Hazel Moir, who heads the firm’s agriculture practice in the north east.
The growth of the firm’s corporate law team also warranted special mention as a practice that has previously “tended to stand out for its work in the oil and gas services sector.” The guide also mentions the launch of the firm’s oil and gas team in January this year, when respected sector specialists Uisdean Vass and Laura Petrie re-joined Ledingham Chalmers as partners in Aberdeen.
Chairman and partner, Jennifer Young, said: “Over the last few years, the legal marketplace as well as the economic and political landscape has seen a huge amount of change. And while we’ve made sure we’ve adapted accordingly, one thing that hasn’t changed is our focus on offering our clients straightforward, strategic advice that works.
“This means we’re known for punching above our weight, and this year’s guides serve to underline that reputation.”
