McGrigors gains team of five from Hendersons

McGrigor Donald, Scotland's biggest independent firm, has poached a team of five solicitors from a rival practice.

Edinburgh-based Henderson Boyd Jackson will lose two partners and three assistant solicitors.

The team is headed by partner Hannah Sutter, who specialises in intellectual property, and PFI lawyer Phil Myrescough. They are taking with them assistants Ian Catto, Vikki Miller, and Stephen Trombala.

Kirk Murdoch, managing partner at McGrigor Donald, says: "We are delighted to have attracted this formidable team. They will allow us to strengthen our capabilities in two growth sectors and will enable them to realise their ambitions of providing cross-border advice to clients by capitalising on the strength of our London office."

Last year, PFI and IP brought in about £4m in business, says the firm.

The three assistants will, start in the coming weeks while the two partners must first negotiate the date of their departure. They are expected to join in the summer.

Henderson's chairman, Malcolm McPherson, says: "You don't like losing people, although two of them are very, very junior. The two partners leaving wanted the firm to go in a particular direction and the rest of the firm was not too enthusiastic."