A Scottish law firm and estate agency has secured an office in Edinburgh as part of its ambitious growth strategy.
With a hard-won reputation built over generations in East Lothian, Garden Stirling Burnet has made a significant move to expand its offering of estate agency and conveyancing into the capital.
As part of the move, the firm has recruited an estate agent and two conveyancers and is in the market to add to its property experts around Edinburgh and bolster its footing in an established sector.
The company – one of East Lothian’s oldest and largest legal firms – will have an office branch at Pure offices at the Bonnington Bond building in Leith.
Managing Director Tony O’Malley sees the move as the next logical step after the firm won a major conveyancing contract and doubled its headcount across its four locations in East Lothian.
He said: “This is a competitive market, but it’s one that we feel can benefit from a more personable, cost-effective and results-driven service.
“After a concentrated effort of reinforcing our offering in East Lothian we feel now is the time to expand our presence in Edinburgh. Our new office will primarily focus on property, with a distinct emphasis in the east of the city.
“This base highlights our ambition to grow and be competitive within the Edinburgh market as we build on our conveyancing strategy, all while increasing our brand awareness to those beyond our roots in East Lothian.”
The announcement of the firm’s new capital base comes after Garden Stirling Burnet secured a sponsorship deal with Hibernian FC for the forthcoming season.
Tony on the sponsorship said: “We hope this partnership will help us reach new audiences as we look to consolidate our position in the city.”
In September 2022, Friends Legal acquired Garden Stirling Burnet, while pledging to retain the historic name, which dates back to 1999.
Since then, strategic investments have focused on expanding the team and enhancing the firm’s infrastructure.
It has resulted in Garden Stirling Burnet growing its team from 17 in 2022 to over 40 this year, with fee earners increasing in number from five to 18.
Tony added: “As we continue to grow, we want to be in a position that makes Garden Stirling Burnet an enticing place to work for legal and property professionals, and so we hope that our foothold in Edinburgh will be more attractive for job seekers living in the city.
“We are making great headway already and see this venture in the capital as the first step to a cemented position within the Edinburgh property market.”
Founded with a vision to offer comprehensive legal services, Garden Stirling Burnet has continually evolved to meet the changing needs to all clients.
The firm continues to focus on providing fair pricing and exceptional service, ensuring accessibility and affordability for its clients.
The takeover has resulted in investment across departments, including estate agency, private client and commercial law.