Vision & Values
Keeping you at the forefront of all things business & legal with our expert guidance
“Client Service Driven” isn’t simply a brand promise, it shapes every decision we make and every action we take.
We have a simple vision:
To be recognised as offering long-term, rewarding relationships with our clients which are noticeably better than anything else on offer elsewhere.
We constantly strive to attain this vision, meaning that everything we do is centred on you.
We are all individuals, but we all share common values, which define who we are and what we stand for, and help us to attain our vision. Those values are:
• Service Excellence
• Value our People
• Accountability
• Our Heritage Matters
• Teamwork
170 years of making history
We were established in Glasgow in 1854 by Thomas Grieve Wright and George Smith. Alexander Johnston joined the practice in 1866, followed by Dr James Mackenzie in 1869. Since then, we have been called Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie.
In 1986, the firm opened an Edinburgh office through the acquisition of Haldanes, McLaren & Scott WS, and over the years other businesses have been assumed to help us better serve the needs of the wider Scottish business and private client communities.
2011 saw us opening our third office, this time in Inverness, allowing us to capitalise on the rapidly expanding economy in the north of Scotland, and in 2016 we merged with the established Inverness firm MacArthur & Co to strengthen our presence in the area.
In May 2017 we merged with BMK Wilson, expanding our operation in Glasgow and giving us a fourth office in Dunblane. The merger further strengthened our key areas of Private Client, Commercial Property, Corporate and Dispute Resolution, whilst giving us geographical reach into Perthshire.
In December 2018, we strengthened our East Coast practice by merging with CCW Business Lawyers, allowing us to bolster our national footprint and better serve the needs of Scottish businesses and private client communities, particularly in key areas such as Commercial Property and Corporate. This was closely followed by the acquisition of the practice of Calum Duncan Corporate Lawyers in Inverness in 2019 and J Gibson Associates in Edinburgh in 2020.
2023 was a landmark moment for the firm when Irwin Mitchell invested in WJM, paving the way for our firms to work together providing a full service offering across more than 20 locations across Scotland, England and Wales. We also acquired Macandrew & Jenkins in Inverness, enhancing our service offering for clients across the Highlands & Islands and Moray.
Most recently we joined forces with commercial law firm Davidson Chalmers Stewart, creating a combined team of more than 200 including 46 partners, with a presence in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Dunblane and Galashiels.
Throughout our history, we have led through client service. The principles of our founders are as valid today as they were over 170 years ago when the first brass plate bearing their names was put in place. As we continue to grow and strengthen our position in Scotland’s legal landscape, we are proud to be custodians of their legacy.
