Addleshaw Goddard gears up for merger with HBJ Gateley in Scotland
Law firm Addleshaw Goddard is planning to expand its offering in Scotland, today announcing it is in the early stages of merging with HBJ Gateley.
HBJ Gateley, a Scottish firm associated with but independent from listed law firm Gateley, was the joint eighth largest Scottish law firm by turnover in 2015-16, pulling in £21.9m. The firm has three offices, in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and 45 partners.
If the transaction completes as planned, HBJ Gateley's staff and business will be transferred to Addleshaw Goddard to create a firm with 11 offices and over 230 partners, and would rank 15th in the UK based on income.
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"We are culturally aligned and bringing both businesses together will enhance each firm's bench strength, give greater flexibility and provide a more robust platform from which to establish stronger market positions across core practice areas and in the financial services and real estate sectors in particular," said John Joyce, managing partner at Addleshaw Goddard.
Malcolm McPherson, senior partner at HBJ Gateley, added: "Given the partner voting process, we're taking nothing for granted but are quietly excited about the potential for creating something rather special, given our strongly aligned sector focus and specific critical mass in financial services and real estate."