Directories show big four still dominant

Annual surveys of leading practices highlight fierce competition for rankings

News, 23 October 2006

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The annual survey of the Scottish legal profession published with today's Herald newspaper shows an increasingly competitive market between legal practices, with the "big four" firms retaining a market advantage despite a strong challenge from other leading practices.

The survey, which features the leading advisers in the practice areas  appearing in the Chambers and Legal 500 rankings, shows that there are now 18 firms in Scotland with 100 or more fee-earners.

The "big four" - Maclay Murray & Spens, Dundas & Wilson, Shepherd+ Wedderburn and McGrigors - all boast between 52 and 55 partners in Scotland, with Maclays having a total of 263 fee-earners, Dundas 247, Shepherd+ Wedderburn 245 and McGrigors 232.

In terms of fee-earning numbers the group are joined by Golds, whose 254 fee-earners operating their heavily IT-based systems give them the second highest total, though run by only 10 partners.

Also making the top 10 are Brodies (175 fee-earners; 37 partners), MacRoberts (160 and 31), Morton Fraser (147 and 32), Turcan Connell (141 and 17) and Biggart Baillie (139 and 41).

Eighteen Scottish firms make one or more categories in the Chambers' "best of UK" tables.

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