Firm recruits to keep pace with growth

May 9 2007 By James Barton, The Journal

Law firm Robert Muckle has increased its turnover in the past 12 months to £9.3m from £8m a year after advising on a series of big deals. The Newcastle practice has recruited 20 staff in the past year and now has a workforce of 130 as it prepares to move into new offices at Time Central, Gallowgate, early next year.

Managing partner Stephen McNicol said: "Robert Muckle is growing and that growth is going to continue.

"We are recruiting excellent people who are excited by the firm and the direction it is taking and we are winning some first class clients. A growth rate of almost 20% in the current market represents a very strong performance."

The firm has advised on more than £100m-worth of deals in the past three months. Recent projects have included the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) listing of Vertu Motors and its reverse takeover of the Bristol Street Motors Group, which resulted in that business becoming the 12th largest motor group in the country.

It also advised on the sale of Newcastle's Tor Coatings and County Durham company Union Snack.

In size the growth still leaves Robert Muckle some way off the North-East's big three law firms, Dickinson Dees, Watson Burton and Ward Hadaway, which last year posted turnover of £47.8m, £22.9m and £21.6m respectively.

Mr McNicol said: "It is a conscious strategic decision that we aim to play to our strengths and will be looking in the North-East market for new clients because we have managed to attract some fantastic people to work for us."

The company said that unlike some of its competitors in the region, it was not looking to open offices in other parts of the country.

Mr McNicol said: "We are looking to continue to push for double-digit growth each year, have a smooth move into our new 45,000sqft offices and focus on developing our culture so we not only attract new people, but keep hold of the ones we've got."

The company operates a rotational system for its senior positions and has recently promoted corporate lawyer Hugh Welch to the role of senior partner, a position he will hold for three years.

Mr McNicol said: "This is Hugh's second three-year stint as senior partner and gives Ian Gilthorpe [the man who occupied the role before him] the opportunity to move into a more business development-type role." The company has three main divisions - corporate, property and employment.

Mr McNicols said corporate and property divisions accounted for about 35% each of the firm's total billings and had contributed equally to the recent growth.

The firm also plans to develop its focus on the public sector and has appointed former Dickinson Dees lawyer Alan Grisedale to head this initiative.