McGrigors
Encyclopedia
McGrigors LLP is a UK Top 50 law firm
. with offices in six British
cities as well as Qatar
and the Falkland Islands
. McGrigors was named National Law Firm of the Year 2010 by The Lawyer
magazine.
With around 100 partners and a total of more than 700 staff across the UK and overseas, McGrigors advises clients, including national and multinational organisations in the private and public sectors, on a wide variety of commercial issues. The firm has a clear focus on advising organisations in the fields of energy, infrastructure and professional and financial services.
In 2011 McGrigors was shortlisted in the Law Society of Scotland Fundraising Achievement of the Year category of the Scottish Legal Awards 2011.
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
. with offices in six British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
cities as well as Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
and the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
. McGrigors was named National Law Firm of the Year 2010 by The Lawyer
The Lawyer
The Lawyer is a weekly British magazine for commercial lawyers and corporate directors, first published in 1981. It is owned by Centaur Media plc....
magazine.
With around 100 partners and a total of more than 700 staff across the UK and overseas, McGrigors advises clients, including national and multinational organisations in the private and public sectors, on a wide variety of commercial issues. The firm has a clear focus on advising organisations in the fields of energy, infrastructure and professional and financial services.
Areas of specialism
Notwithstanding the firm's self-professed focus on Energy, Infrastructure and Professional and Financial Services sectors, the independent legal directory Legal 500 ranks McGrigors as a Tier 1 firm in each of the following areas:- Banking & Finance (Scotland)
- Banking & Finance (Northern Ireland)
- Commercial Litigation (Scotland)
- Commercial Property (Northern Ireland)
- Commercial Property (Edinburgh & Glasgow)
- Commercial Property (elsewhere in Scotland)
- Construction (Northern Ireland)
- Corporate & M&A (Northern Ireland)
- Dispute Resolution (Northern Ireland)
- Employment (Scotland)
- Employment (Northern Ireland)
- Energy (Scotland)
- Environment (Scotland)
- Environment and planning (Northern Ireland)
- Intellectual Property and Information Technology (Scotland)
- Intellectual property & information technology (Northern Ireland)
- Parliamentary (Scotland)
- Pensions (Scotland)
- Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Projects (Scotland)
- Project Finance & PFI (Northern Ireland)
- Tax (London)
Corporate Social Responsibility
Under the firm's 'Horizons' programme, staff can become involved in a whole array of CSR projects. Each member of staff is given half a day every month to spend on volunteering in their local communities. The firm supports a wide range of projects, from mentoring teenage School children to providing legal advice at advice centres to those who cannot afford a solicitor’s services. It also supports a number of nominated charities, not just financially, but with legal services and volunteers for whatever needs doing.In 2011 McGrigors was shortlisted in the Law Society of Scotland Fundraising Achievement of the Year category of the Scottish Legal Awards 2011.
History
- March 2011: McGrigors announces the opening of a new branch office in the Qatar Financial CentreQatar Financial CentreEstablished in March 2005, The Qatar Financial Centre is a business and financial centre located in Doha, providing legal and business infrastructure for financial services...
, Doha, Qatar - September 2010 - 3 partners and 7 staff join McGrigors in ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, bringing the total number of people in the office to around 35. - October 2009 - 10 Partners and 75 staff join the BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
office from L'Estrange & Brett, one of the oldest and largest firms in Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, specialising in commercial property, corporate work and litigation. The merged firm will be Northern Ireland's first major law firm to offer national reach. - August 2008 - 4 Partners and 13 staff join the LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
office from Reid Minty LLP, a boutique LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
litigation practice. - January 2008 - In response to Client demand McGrigors opens an office in Manchester.
- October 2007 - McGrigors Belfast converts to an LLP, although not the first practice to be recognised as an incorporated practice by the Law Society of Northern Ireland, it is the first LLP.
- October 2006 - the firm becomes a multi national legal practice (MNP) recognised by the Law Societies of England & Wales and Scotland, and converts to a limited liability partnershipLimited liability partnershipA limited liability partnership is a partnership in which some or all partners have limited liability. It therefore exhibits elements of partnerships and corporations. In an LLP one partner is not responsible or liable for another partner's misconduct or negligence. This is an important...
. McGrigors and McGrigors London cease. - April 2006 - 12 partners and 42 staff join McGrigors and McGrigors Aberdeen office opened.
- February 2004 - the firm became known as McGrigors - prior to this, it had been known as McGrigor Donald in ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
(Glasgow & Edinburgh) and Belfast and KLegal in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. - March 2002 - the McGrigor Donald London partnership merged with, and became known as, KLegal.
- 2000 - Belfast office opened, and McGrigor Donald Belfast partnership formed.
- 1999 - KLegal was founded as the UK law firm associated with KPMGKPMGKPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
. - 1988 - McGrigor Donald opened a LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
office. An English practice associated with the firm is started - Stephen Kingsley & Associates. - December 1987 - name change to McGrigor Donald.
- February 1985 - McGrigor Donald & Co merges with Moncrieff Warren Paterson & Co to commence business in new offices in Pacific House as McGrigor Donald & Moncrieff.
- 1978 - McGrigor Donald & Co opened EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
office. - 1871 - GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
law firms of McGrigor, Stevenson & Fleming and C D Donald & Sons merge to create McGrigor Donald & Co. - 1826 - Hugh & Robert Moncrieff merge their existing practices.
- 1824 -William Lindsay (of Oatlands) assumes Hugh Moncrieff as a partner, but dies within a year.
- 1821 - Robert Moncrieff and James Finlayson commence practice as Moncrieff & Finlayson.
- 1801 - John Maxwell (of Dargavel, and son of John below),suffering from a paralysis, hands over his law practice to Colin D Donald (1777–1859) (a cousin). CDD was trained by James Dundas CS. James was the father of John Dundas who with Charles Wilson founded Dundas & WilsonDundas & WilsonDundas & Wilson LLP is a leading commercial UK law firm with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London. The firm is based in Scotland, but like other large Scottish law firms, it now has an established practice in London, which earns 39% of its total revenues...
. - 1792 - Alexander B McGrigor commences practice.
- 1782 - William Lindsay (of Oatlands) commences practice.
- 1769 - John Maxwell (of Dargavel) known as John Maxwell Jnr to distinguish him from fellow lawyer and relative John Maxwell (of Fingalton) commences practice in GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.