Thorntons has strengthened its dispute resolution team with the appointment of highly respected lawyer Sheila Webster, who joins the firm as a consultant based in Edinburgh.
Sheila brings over 30 years’ experience in commercial dispute resolution, having built a reputation as one of Scotland’s leading litigation specialists. A former president of the Law Society of Scotland, Sheila joins Thorntons from Davidson Chalmers Stewart, where she was a partner and head of the dispute resolution team.
At Thorntons, Sheila will work alongside the firm’s growing dispute resolution team, providing strategic advice and mentoring as the firm continues to expand across Scotland. Her expertise in complex property and commercial disputes, coupled with her experience as a qualified mediator and arbitrator, will further enhance the firm’s ability to deliver impact for clients.
Her arrival marks another significant milestone in Thorntons’ growth journey. In the last year, the firm has completed strategic mergers with Macnabs, boosting its Central Scotland presence, and Patience and Buchan, which has taken Thorntons into Aberdeen for the first time.
These moves have reinforced Thorntons’ position as one of Scotland’s largest full-service law firms, offering a depth and breadth of expertise and geographic reach unmatched in the market.
Scott Milne, dispute resolution partner at Thorntons, said: “Sheila’s appointment is a milestone for Thorntons. She is a hugely respected figure within the Scottish legal community, and her appointment underlines our commitment to attracting the very best legal talent.
“Sheila’s insight and experience will be invaluable as we continue to grow our dispute resolution offering and support clients across Scotland with their most complex and high-value disputes.”
Sheila Webster said: “I’ve long admired Thorntons’ dynamic culture, its unwavering client focus, and its visionary approach to growth. It’s exciting to be joining the Dispute Resolution team at such a pivotal time for the firm, and I look forward to contributing to its continued success.”
Sheila is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an Ambassador for the Scottish Arbitration Centre, and a member of the Property Litigation Association’s Scottish Committee. In addition to her distinguished legal career, she is recognised for her leadership within the profession and her commitment to diversity, inclusion, and access to the legal sector.
Headquartered in Dundee, Thorntons now has 14 offices across Scotland, from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Inverness, Perth and Aberdeen. Recently, the firm was named Large Firm of the Year at the Herald Law Awards.
Following the successful mergers earlier this year, the firm now has more than 650 people across Scotland, including 79 partners, offering a comprehensive range of services for businesses, individuals and families that spans employment, corporate, real estate, immigration, agricultural law, private client, family, and dispute resolution.
