WJM CELEBRATES 11 YEARS IN BUSINESS IN INVERNESS

Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP opened a base in Inverness in 2011 with just one solicitor – and has gone from strength to strength with a team of 21 and a diverse client base.

Partner Angus MacLeod worked initially from a serviced office in Kintail House providing corporate and commercial law and family business advice.

Angus now heads up the firm’s dedicated office where the team has grown considerably, and has seen a string of mergers and acquisitions, notably a merger with MacArthur and Co in 2016, and the acquisitions of Robertson & Co in 2017 and Calum Duncan Corporate Lawyers in 2019.

Its 21 staff members, including five Partners, specialise in a wide range of legal services, including thriving property and private client practices. The WJM team works with clients all over the Highlands, Islands and Moray, including Gordon & MacPhail and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, as well as sponsoring Ross County Youth FC.

Angus said: “It’s hard to believe that 11 years have passed since we first launched WJM’s Inverness office. I grew up in the city and know it can be tricky to find legal experts who really understand the local area and economy in the Highlands, so it’s always been important to us to provide a high-quality service to people in the area.

“I believe we have experienced such success since opening because we truly understand the specific needs of clients in the region and have deep-rooted connections in the area. We also have the benefit of being part of a much larger firm with a network of offices and experts across Scotland, while being firmly embedded within the local community, which is really important.”

The team expanded its office to a sizeable 3,000sqft premises in 2019 after a raft of new hires and is now based at The Green House in Beechwood Park North.

Angus continued: “We are firmly focused on the future and what the next decade has in store for the firm. We remain dedicated to further developing the team of fantastic lawyers in the heart of Inverness and forging strong bonds with our clients.

“We have recently taken on another new trainee and plan to recruit more trainees further down the line, ensuring the people and businesses of the Highlands continue to have access to an extremely high standard of legal advice for generations to come.

“The traditional gift for an eleventh anniversary is steel, representing strength and longevity, so I think that’s very fitting for this milestone we are celebrating as a firm. We are truly dedicated to remaining part of the local economy for many years to come and creating a meaningful legacy for the people of the Highlands.”