We’ve come a long way since 1815. Some things have endured – our determination to be accessible, expert and reliable, for example. But there’s plenty that’s changed significantly. Our Managing Partner, Alasdair Cummings provides an update on what we’re doing for clients and the wider community in 2019
A lot has changed in the Scottish legal scene recently. Well-known firms have merged or been taken over by law firms from over the border, and some famous names have disappeared.
We’re glad to say that at Lindsays, we’re still here and still independent. Now well into our third century, we’re still owned and managed in Scotland, with no intention of expanding southwards or merging with an English firm.
Even so, we’re still very much moving with the times, keeping pace with technology and client expectations. For example, our investment in a new document management system is helping us deliver efficient client service and administration.
Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee
There have been other changes over the past couple of years too. At the last count, we had 38 partners and around 250 staff, working from our offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee and looking after clients across Scotland and beyond.
As a result of mergers and taking on new staff, we now offer a full service for people and businesses in all three offices. This has been deliberate – we wanted to build our strength in depth across the firm, so that whatever legal issues our clients face and wherever they are in Scotland or beyond, we can support them.
Our people
In the last issue of lindsays life, seven new trainee solicitors had recently joined us. We’ve now recruited eight more trainees to join the firm in 2020. This is the highest number of trainees Lindsays has ever recruited, a sign of our commitment to the future and to bringing on talent.
With our current crop of talent, from newly qualified solicitors to partners, we take training, development, staff wellbeing and engagement very seriously. We believe this brings many benefits all round – it keeps people at the top of their game; it shows our staff we’re invested in their future; it supports recruitment; and it helps us deliver for our clients.
Over the past few years, law firms in Scotland have faced many challenges and uncertainties from the financial crash of 2008 to Brexit. There’ll always be uncertainties, and you can’t control that.
So you focus on what you can control: your culture, skills, services, premises, talent and investment. That’s how you keep on doing the best for clients, whatever happens in the wider environment. That’s what we focus on at Lindsays.
As a law firm rooted in Scotland, we want to deliver value to the wider community. Each year, we have a wide-ranging charity and sponsorship programme. For example:
• our chosen charity is the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) and we fundraise for them regularly; we also have an arrangement that our own staff can talk to SAMH confidentially about anything that’s concerning them
• we also support the Tour de Forth, a charity that promotes cycling and raises funds for two locally based charities: Mercy Corps and Cash 4 Kids
• staff are also encouraged to support other causes close to them, including in firm time; this activity ranges from being charity trustees to helping out with specific projects
• we support grassroots sport across Scotland, with a sponsorship programme that includes the Scottish Cross Country Season and a padel league.
It’s fair to say there’s a degree of healthy rivalry between our Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee offices in terms of fundraising and supporting good causes. This works out nicely for a range of local and national charities!
Since 2013 we’ve also sponsored Scottish Olympian, Eilish McColgan. Eilish does a wonderful job in representing Scottish athletics around the world and also encouraging young people to participate in sport.
To return to the main contents of lindsays life issue 16, please click here.
