McGrigors beefs up in City, Manchester and Aberdeen with raft of hires

In London the firm has hired SJ Berwin partner Karl Woolley as a partner in its finance practice, tasking him with strengthening relationships with banks in the City. Woolley, who was a partner at Addleshaw Goddard before joining SJ Berwin in 2006, specialises in acquisition and funds finance.

In Aberdeen the firm has taken on Raeburn Christie Clark & Wallace partner David McEwing as a partner in its energy practice and Thorntons partner David Rose as a senior associate in its real estate group.

Meanwhile, the three-partner contentious construction team that joined McGrigors from Hammonds earlier this year (10 May 2010) has been followed by its seven-lawyer team while the firm has added to its Manchester tax disputes and investigations practice with the hire of Dickinson Dees tax specialists Andy Brown and Steve Porter. They join as director and solicitor respectively.

Firmwide managing partner Richard Masters said: “These hires represent investment into our three core sectors of energy, infrastructure and professional and financial services which are a firmwide focus for us.

“We’re particularly pleased to add such depth to our Manchester practice, which has grown rapidly since we opened in 2008. The team brings expertise that will be of immediate value to our clients and will help us to grow our business in the North West.”

McGrigors, which was named The Lawyer’s Regional/National Law Firm of The Year 2010, opened in Manchester in January 2008 (17 December 2007), initially to serve a number of infrastructure clients in the region.

It hired projects partner Nick Ogden from Addleshaws soon after opening (7 April 2008) and added tax capabilities with the promotion of David Anderson in June 2008 (16 June 2008).