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Dundas seals hire of 12-strong Semple Fraser team

13 March 2013 | By Joshua Freedman

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Dundas & Wilson has confirmed the hire of 12 lawyers from collapsed Scottish rival Semple Fraser in a move that sees five former Semple Fraser partners join as consultants.

Semple Fraser partner and real estate head Elspeth Carson becomes a partner at Dundas, while fellow property partners Ewan Thomson, Angus MacRae, Margaret McLean, litigation head Kenneth Carruthers and dispute partner Alison Gow will be full-time consultants.

Dundas also made offers to recruit six former Semple Fraser fee-earners at assistant, associate and senior associate level and is making arrangements to ensure that five Semple Fraser trainees will be able to complete their training contracts at Dundas.

All the lawyers will join the Edinburgh base, although it is expected Thomson will split his time between Scotland and London at a later stage.

Carson said in a statement: “Dundas is Scotland’s leading firm. We share a united belief that client service is paramount and we’ll be looking forward to working together in the coming months to provide the best service and value to all our clients.”

The hires follow news that Semple Fraser has appointed a RSM Tenon team as administrators, with teams later leaving to join Anderson Strathern, Maclay Murray & Spens and Weightmans while 62 staff were made redundant.

The Lawyer reported earlier this week that Dundas had bought Semple Fraser’s work-in-progress and was set to bring aboard six partners from its Edinburgh office (11 March 2013).

Dundas joint managing partners Caryn Penley and Allan Wernham said in a statement: “We’re committed to growing our business in Scotland and London. The quality and reputation of the former Semple Fraser partners joining us reinforces our position as Scotland’s pre-eminent law firm and will present many exciting opportunities over the next months.”

Dundas real estate head Iain Lindsay said: “Adding Elspeth, Ewan, Angus and Margaret will further cement our position in Scotland as one of the biggest and best real estate teams. Across the UK we look forward to working with our new colleagues to further support our strong London real estate team’s growth in the English market.”

RSM Tenon partner and joint administrator Tom MacLennan said in a statement: “We’d like to thank Dundas & Wilson for moving so quickly to help find positive destinations for some of the former Semple Fraser partners, lawyers and trainees. We wish Dundas & Wilson and their new colleagues every success for the future.”

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Readers' comments (7)

  • Anonymous | 13-Mar-2013 3:37 pm

    Surely a TUPE claim for the SF staff who worked in the Edinburgh office?

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  • Anonymous | 13-Mar-2013 8:45 pm

    The way staff have been treated is nothing short of disgraceful. I believe that many staff in Edinburgh would have a TUPE claim and I'm sure D&W know that too!

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  • Realist | 13-Mar-2013 9:44 pm

    Good to see D&W taking on non-partners and trainees. A mature and responsible approach in stark contrast to the the shabby and opportunistic MMS. If only they could have found a home for some of the non-legal staff too.

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  • Anonymous | 13-Mar-2013 9:44 pm

    Same was done in Glasgow - complete stitch up of staff who received no redundancy pay or pay in lieu of notice - in fact not even paid up to the end of the month!

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  • Anonymous | 14-Mar-2013 9:22 am

    Carson said in a statement: “We’ll be looking forward to working together in the coming months to provide the best service and value to all our clients.”
    Surely you should just work towards keeping yourself, and D&W in business? From one sinking ship, quick everyone aboard a sinking life raft...

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  • Anonymous | 15-Mar-2013 4:53 pm

    The managing partner of Semple Fraser was able to face his staff and blatantly lie about his and others future positions with mms and dw He showed no remorse in what he was doing a bit of I'm all right too bad about the staff who were left with nothing. So well done mms and dw for taking part in this it sure will he good publicity for your firms and as for the quality and integrity of lawyers you now have employed good luck with that you will need it

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  • Realist | 16-Mar-2013 1:36 pm

    Anonymous (15-Mar-2013 4:53pm) - you don't really think modern legal Firms like MMS or D&W concern themselves about quality or integrity, do you? All the marketing puff about focussing on quality, smart people etc has about as much substance as a pair of Pound Shop socks. It's all about sales and how much the handful of partners who have real influence can wring out of the clients for a particular year. Some of the guff these people come up with would make P T Barnum squirm in embarrassment.

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