Legal Business

Scottish firms: Burness Paull awards staff 10% bonus while Shepherd and Wedderburn grows construction team

Scottish firm Burness Paull is awarding a 10% bonus to all its eligible employees across the firm’s three offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow following a strong set of annual results which saw a 20% rise in turnover and a 25% increase in profit.

Chairman Philip Rodney said: ‘Our excellent annual results, which exceeded all expectations, have been achieved through the hard work, professionalism and commitment of our staff. In recognition of this and of their continued efforts, we are delighted to be in a position to award a 10% bonus to say thank you.

‘Already we are looking to the future and have ambitious plans in place which will see us focus on three increasingly important sectors – oil and gas, financial services and property and infrastructure – and growing our international presence. Our dynamic and talented team will play an integral role in Burness Paull achieving its aspirations, so it is right that they should be recognised and rewarded in this small way.’

The award follows the announcement of encouraging financial results as the firm posted a hefty 20% turnover increase to £46.3m while profits rose to £20.7m from £16.5m, constituting a 25% increase. The firm was named National/Regional Firm of the Year at the Legal Business Awards in February with highlight work including advising FTSE 250 company Wood Group on all UK employment related services such as pensions and employment tribunal matters.

The firm was formed in 2012 following the union of Burness in Edinburgh and Glasgow and Aberdeen’s Paull & Williamsons.

In other news across the Scottish border, Shepherd and Wedderburn has added partner Gareth Parry to its construction and special projects practice with an eye to growing further. Parry joins with 24 years’ experience in private practice at McGrigors and DLA Piper, where he was a partner and headed construction teams for 14 and three years respectively. He specialises in major energy, regeneration and infrastructure projects, both in the UK and overseas.

Shepherd and Wedderburn chief executive, Stephen Gibb said: ‘His [Parry’s] technical expertise and extensive knowledge of construction and large scale projects, particularly in the energy sector, will further strengthen our market-leading credentials in successfully advising clients in these areas.

‘In the last 12 months the construction and projects practice, has experienced tremendous growth across a wide range of sectors advising on projects worth over £2.6bn. The team has advised on many major energy and infrastructure projects throughout the UK and beyond ranging from numerous office, industrial, retail and leisure projects as well as new hydro projects, hospitals, colleges, wave and tidal projects, wind farms, light rail, bridges and waste schemes.’

He added that the firm is looking to grow the team further on the back of winning new mandates and projects.

Jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk