South of England firm Bond Pearce has made its first foray into the Scottish market, launching a serviced office in Edinburgh on the back of its energy practice.
The pilot, led by head of energy Marcus Trinick, is expected to be followed by a permanent office within one to two years. Existing clients include Scottish Power and Renewable Energy Systems.
Bond Pearce has also been involved in winning royal assent for a large wind farm on the Robin Rigg sandbank in the Solway, working first for TXU and subsequently for Babcock & Brown.
Trinick has already received interest from potential clients outside the energy sector, particularly for the firm’s planning expertise.
Energy partner Paul Stockley, who recently joined from Amerada Hess, and planning partner John Houghton, will also be spending time in the new office.
“It’s a cost-effective way of dipping your toe in the water, in any particular city, until you know you’ve got the critical mass to make an office work,” said Trinick.
Energy was a key contributor to income growth of 16 per cent to £32.5m for Bond Pearce last year. The firm also recovered some of its lost profitability, with average profits per equity partner growing from £161,000 to £177,000.