Media Centre
Media briefing notes
Established in 1988 by Professor Lorne Crerar and Rod McKenzie in a converted sandwich shop in St Vincent Street, Glasgow.
Our aim - "to create a meaningful, commercial law firm, serving Scotland, from scratch" - we have evolved into a firm with 40 Partners, 108 Fee Earners and a complement of 225 staff.
In the past five financial years, the firm has experienced a growth in profit of 210%. During the last financial year ending 31 March 2007, Harper Macleod achieved a growth in turnover of 35%, taking turnover to £12 million.
The first firm in Scotland to adopt a Practice Group structure, with the main UK legal directories recommending the firm in 29 specialist areas, substantially more than any comparative legal firm of the same size.
Specialist areas include Banking & Finance, Social Housing & Community Development, Recoveries, Employment, Sport, Real Estate, Corporate and Litigation. The Sports Practice Group holds the number one position in Scotland.
The firm converted to LLP status on 1 September 2004.
Harper Macleod LLP was the only firm to recieve three awards at The Scottish Legal Awards 2006, winning Firm of the Year, Rising Star of the Year and Corporate Team of the Year.
Harper Macleod LLP also won Law Firm of the Year 2006 at The Law Awards of Scotland. Receiving the same award at the 2006 Scottish Legal awards (above), makes Harper Macleod one of only two firms to have ever been awarded the title Law Firm of the Year by the two major legal awards in Scotland.
At The Scottish Legal Awards 2007, Harper Macleod recieved the Awards for Commercial Property Team of the Year and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiative of the Year.
The firm currently has two offices in Glasgow, one in Edinburgh and is the only central-belt law firm with premises in the Highlands, after opening a 4,000 sq ft office in Inverness in September 2004.
Key clients include The Scottish Executive, The Student Loans Company Ltd, InBev, William Hill, Tulloch, Allied Irish Bank, The Child Support Agency in Scotland, Clydesdale Bank, Optical Express, RBS Insurance, Lloyds TSB Scotland, thus, Celtic plc and The Scottish Premier League.
Harper Macleod LLP is the only Scottish legal firm with two part-time teaching Professors as well as 7 lawyers teaching or tutoring at the Glasgow Universities.
The firm has established strong academic links with Harvard Business School as part of the firm's commitment to commercial growth and Partner development.
HM Corporate Solutions was established in 2004, offering advice in corporate strategy.
HM Property Solutions was established in 2007, focusing on advice in property investment ventures.
