Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie (WJM) is set to join forces with commercial law firm Davidson Chalmers Stewart in one of the most significant deals in both firms’ history.
The move follows investment in WJM from Irwin Mitchell and marks a major step in their strategic plan for growth in Scotland.
Davidson Chalmers Stewart, which has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Galashiels, is an independent firm with specialist experts that focus on the needs of business clients across the country.
The deal will see Davidson Chalmers Stewart’s 70+ staff transferring across to WJM, strengthening key business areas including corporate, real estate and commercial dispute resolution and enhancing provision for clients.
The combined firm will operate under the Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie brand from summer 2025 and will have more than 200 colleagues including 46 Partners working across five locations (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Dunblane and Galashiels), supported by the wider Irwin Mitchell team in Scotland, England and Wales.
Their combined sector specialisms are wide ranging and include planning, food and drink, renewable energy, estate planning, business and professional services, real estate, construction, health and social care, rural business, and housebuilding.
With strong international ties through international law firm networks, the firms’ clients also have access to trusted advisors in more than 200 jurisdictions worldwide.
Fraser Gillies, Managing Partner of Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie, said: “This deal adds significant strength to our corporate, real estate and commercial dispute resolution teams as well as bolstering our renewables expertise which is a key area for our business. We’ve long admired Davidson Chalmers Stewart’s business and the reputation it has built in similar markets to those in which we operate and culturally our firms are a great fit. We are looking forward to working alongside the new team to offer an even stronger service to our clients across key services and sectors.”
Mark Higgins, Chair of WJM, and Managing Partner of Irwin Mitchell Scotland, added: “Irwin Mitchell began its expansion programme in Scotland by completing a deal to invest in WJM in January last year, and has grown its Scottish team with several new recruits across the year. This latest deal marks a significant milestone in our combined growth journey and we are looking forward to further increasing our market share across a full suite of legal services in Scotland and helping even more clients across the country.”
Andrew Chalmers, Chair of Davidson Chalmers Stewart, said: “Our specialist expertise is sought after by Scottish businesses, and joining Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie and the wider Irwin Mitchell Group will now allow us to offer enhanced service lines for our valued clients.
“Our core values of excellence, loyalty, respect, initiative, and integrity are at the heart of everything we do so it was essential to us that we joined forces with a firm that was the perfect fit, sharing our culture and values as well as offering complementary areas of expertise. We are looking forward to all that we will achieve together.”
