Landmark year for legal team at McKeags
Sep 26 2008 The Journal
2007 was a milestone year for McKeags Law Firm. The real estate and banking finance divisions of the firm merged with Optima Legal to create one of the UK’s largest suppliers of volume legal services.
This merger forms part of a joint growth strategy shared by Optima Legal that allows McKeags to deliver the most efficient, cost effective and easily accessible multi-jurisdictional legal service available within marketplace.
With nearly 900 employees across three sites in Newcastle, Glasgow and Bradford, Optima Legal is a real driving force in the legal market. Behind the brand lies true legal heritage – Optima Legal formally known as DLA Direct, together with McKeags, Turner MacFarlane Green and Pathway.
All are recognised market leaders in their fields who have combined to create an innovative UK wide legal practice delivering outstanding results for the firm’s corporate, banking and private clients.
The services provided by Optima Legal through its three sites offer a 360 degree legal solution for the firm’s varied client base. From property and other asset lending services through to recoveries and litigation; from site acquisitions for developers through to onward plot sales, from investment property acquisitions, refinancing, granting of new leases through to renewals, surrenders and other landlord and tenant services. Optima Legal has truly focused on achieving the complete legal solution in an ever challenging market place.
Peter Armstrong, chief executive said: “There is no denying that the legal market is incredibly tough at the moment, not just as a result of the current economic downturn but due to legal reforms which change the way traditional practices are now able to operate. Being part of Optima Legal means we can rise to these challenges and we are proud to be part of an organisation which is paving the way forward in legal services. In both the short and
longer term this means both quality and stability for our clients.”
McKeags has celebrated its second anniversary in its state-of-the-art offices in Carliol Square in the heart of Newcastle. The move to the 30,000 sqft of office space at One Carliol was made by McKeags in 2006 and now appears to have been a strategic move following the revelation by Newcastle City Council of the East Pilgrim Street redevelopment. The area will be the subject of a crucial regeneration scheme which will create a distinctive new retail led mixed use quarter of the City Centre.
While the merger has dominated 2007 for the practice, both the commercial property and banking finance areas have continued to perform impressively. Despite enormous competition from other firms, the banking finance team has retained its appointments on all current lender panels. The commercial property team has been appointed to the panel of Business Link which is a government body supporting SMEs and it has also been retained by two new developer clients in site acquisitions and eventual sell-ons.
McKeags is confident that the merger with Optima Legal will lead to further growth and expansion in the forthcoming year and the current and future client base will all benefit from the enhanced range of services offered by the multi-jurisdictional group.
