Scottish Legal Jobs

Eighteen members of the Reid Minty team will join McGrigors as part of the Scottish firm's strategy to double the size of its London office, which has 200 staff and accounts for 35per cent of total turnover.

McGrigors has grown its turnover by more than 45per cent in the last three years and has set a target of £100m by 2011.

McGrigors' existing commercial litigation and real estate teams will be joined by four new partners, two directors, one consultant, three assistants, and support staff.

Richard Masters, managing partner at McGrigors, said: "Reid Minty are specialists in litigation, commercial property and the contentious aspects of corporate finance, banking and insolvency.

"With an established client base including many international clients - particularly in the key energy markets of Russia and the Middle East - the Reid Minty team will be of immediate value as well as a significant long-term asset.

"This merger is very much a part of our continuing drive to grow our London office over the next three years."

James Bullock, head of risk advisory solutions at McGrigors, said: "Reid Minty's capabilities are an excellent fit with our own London dispute resolution practice, which is renowned as marketleading in tax litigation with an increasing reputation for litigation in the energy and infrastructure sectors."

Commenting on the merger deal, Andrew Reid, senior partner at Reid Minty, said: "McGrigors can provide us with exactly the infrastructure we need to be able to continue to develop our commercial litigation and real estate practices and offer our clients the benefits of a fullservice firm that we have been unable to before. There are very strong synergies between us and McGrigors' disputes and tax litigation teams, and I'm excited by the new opportunities this merger will bring to all of us."

Reid Minty will continue its personal injury business under the name of RMPI LLP. Under the terms of the merger, Reid will work for McGrigors as a consultant as well as retaining his role as senior partner of RMPI LLP.

McGrigors has offices in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast.