Lindsays

Things began to stabilise at Scottish firm Lindsays in 2011–12 following the divestment of its investment management division to Brown Shipley Private Banking in 2009–10.

The firm’s turnover dropped immediately after the sale, falling by 14 per cent, from £11.6m in 2009–10 to £10m in 2010–11. In the past financial year it still dipped, albeit by a much smaller proportion, falling by 7 per cent to £9.3m.

The firm has traditionally had a private client bias, but is also active in the employment, charities and agriculture spheres. Managing partner Alastair Cummings admitted that the last financial year was challenging for the firm, leading it to look at ways of diversifying its reach.

This led the firm to follow a growing trend for merger in the Scottish legal market, with a deal with Dundee private client and commercial property firm Shield & Kyd going live at the beginning of 2012.

Lindsays is no stranger to merger: in 2007 it took over Borders firm Turnbull Simson & Sturrock. The Shield & Kyd deal gives it offices in Dundee and Arbroath, where it trades as Lindsays, incorporating Shield & Kyd.