News In Focus
2 August 2006
New management structure for Burness
Commercial law firm Burness will be operating a new management structure from today.
The structure reflects the growth plans for the future of the firm with the creation of two boards - a governance and strategy board and an operations board.
Philip Rodney will continue to spearhead the firm and remains chairman on the governance and strategy board. Ian Wattie, head of property for nine years, takes on the managing partner role, which is purely operational, and one further elected member will be decided by partnership vote during mid-August.
This board will act as trustee of the partnership. Its responsibilities include exploring strategic opportunities for the firm, governance, overseeing the operations board and partnership issues.
The operations board will be led by Mr Wattie, who will appoint leaders of the firm's three departments: corporate, property and construction and dispute resolution.
Also on this board will be Grace Hughes, business development director and Martin Sweet, director of operations. The operations board will work closely with departmental and function business plans to ensure delivery of the firm's strategy.
Mr Rodney said: "We're extremely proud that our primary focus on service delivery for clients, together with our effective approach to business, has resulted in year on year double digit growth. The new structure planned for the firm will allow us to continue with this success through ensuring concentration of resources in the right areas."
The firm has recruited a number of well-known names recently, the most high-profile being Jonathan Heaney from Clifford Chance and Alan McMillan from Dundas and Wilson.
Burness has also made a number of internal promotions. Associate appointments are - Claire Brattey (employment pensions and benefits), Jamie Templeton (projects) and Gavin Pearson (property and construction).
The new senior solicitors are - Claire Galt (projects), Laura Miller (banking), Paul Jarman-Williams (corporate), Jennifer Whitehead (dispute resolution), Peter Chambers (property and construction), Sarah Dilley (property and construction), Jennifer Whelton (property and construction), Katrina Young (property and construction), and Nicola Yuill (corporate).
The firm is predicting a turnover announcement of £18 million, a 12.5% increase on last year. Currently there are 37 partners and more than 220 staff in Edinburgh and Glasgow.