Trio Of Appointments Strengthen Mackinnons Solicitors

 Aberdeenshire, Articles  No Responses »
Oct 062017
 

With thanks to Ross Anderson, Senior Account Manager, Jasmine Ltd.

A leading north-east legal firm has strengthened its teams of specialist solicitors in Aberdeen with three new appointments.
Mackinnons Solicitors, with offices in Aberdeen, Cults and Aboyne, has announced two promotions and one new appointment, each of whom will complement the firm’s existing legal teams.

Angus Easton, who recently completed a master’s degree in Maritime Law, has been promoted to the position of Associate within the firm’s commercial shipping team.

Mr Easton joined Mackinnons in January 2013 and his expertise covers areas of commercial practice with an emphasis on marine and business law.

Kim Harkness also assumes an Associate position working within the property and private client teams. She joined Mackinnons in 2013 and has worked primarily as an assistant to firm partner, Pat Gray.

Kate Longmuir has also joined the firm from Pinsent Masons and will be working within the corporate team advising on a range of commercial matters with emphasis on the energy and marine sectors.

Graham Jones, one of the firm’s senior partners, said:

“We are delighted to have appointed Kate to our commercial shipping team. She has considerable experience in legal matters relating to the marine and energy sectors and will be a great asset to us.

“As well as recruiting to strengthen the team, we are also very pleased to be able to promote talent from within. Angus and Kim have already made a significant contribution to the success of the firm and their promotions are well deserved.

“Each of these appointments significantly strengthens our teams of specialist solicitors as we look to build for the future and expand our existing client base.”

Established in Aberdeen in 1842, Mackinnons is recognised internationally for its long-standing expertise in fishing, shipping and marine law. The firm is also a leading provider of private client legal services with a team of experienced and specialist lawyers. 

Mackinnons offer a range of legal services including residential property, personal advice, wills and estate planning, commercial property, business and corporate matters, renewables, employment and dispute resolution in addition to its internationally renowned shipping law practice.

Its experienced teams of solicitors provide professional, pragmatic, bespoke advice for clients, whether they are multinational corporations, local businesses or individuals.

As part of Mackinnons’ 175th anniversary celebrations in 2017, the firm is raising money for The Fishermen’s Mission.

For more information about Mackinnons Solicitors and its range of legal and financial services, please visit: www.mackinnons.com

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Solicitors Get Active To raise £1000s For Charity

 Aberdeen City, Articles  No Responses »
Sep 072017
 

With thanks to Ross Anderson, Senior Account Manager, Jasmine Ltd.

Legal eagles from Aberdeen have been pushing themselves to their physical limits this year and have raised almost £6,000 for charities close to their hearts.
Three legal experts from Mackinnons Solicitors tackled gruelling individual challenges which took one to the top of the highest mountain in the British Isles while one ran the London Marathon and another took on the Highland Cross coast-to-coast challenge.

Sarah Polson, from Mackinnons’ dispute resolution department, Fiona Cheyne from the firm’s commercial and marine department and Mackinnons’ partner Martin Sinclair, who is a specialist in personal injury law, have raised a combined fundraising total of £5,975 for three different charities.

In June, Fiona Cheyne hiked up the 1,345 metre Ben Nevis with her Mum Elizabeth Copp and raised £4,610 for the PSP Association in recognition of the support the charity provides to her dad Andy Copp who has been diagnosed with the rare and as yet incurable Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD).

Fiona said:

“We had never heard of the PSP Association until earlier last year, when dad was diagnosed with the degenerative condition which limits his ability to talk, to walk, to grip and to swallow.

“The charity funds research into treatments and it’s hoped a cure can ultimately be found for both conditions. It’s thanks to the PSP Association that mum and dad have been given good practical advice and support in how to deal with dad’s condition. Their support worker keeps in touch with them over the phone and they value that greatly.

“To give something back, my mum and I decided to do some fundraising and laced up our hiking boots to reach the top of Ben Nevis which was a challenging and humbling experience.”

Earlier in the year, Mackinnons’ Litigation Associate Sarah Polson ran in the London Marathon after receiving a ballot place. For the firm’s 175th anniversary she decided to fundraise for the Fishermen’s Mission, Mackinnons charity of the year.

After months of training she joined the 40,000-strong field who ran the 26.2-mile course in April and raised £600 for the charity which provides support and welfare to fishermen and their families.

Sarah said:

“They say the crowds get you through the marathon in London and they really do. The route around London’s landmarks was lined with thousands of supporters handing out sweets and biscuits to keep you going and cheering you on.

“There were even brass bands, an orchestra and singers providing entertainment along the way. It was tough in parts but I survived and I’m already planning my next challenge.”

In June, Mackinnons’ partner Martin Sinclair raised £765 for several charities by completing the Highland Cross challenge.

The Highland Cross is a 50-mile duathlon, 20 miles either running or walking and 30miles by bike, which crosses Scotland between Kintail and Beauly.

The funds were split between both the Fisherman’s Mission and the Highland Cross nominated charities in the Highlands which benefit from the event.

Martin said:

“The Highland Cross is a terrific event and I’ve been keen to take part for a while. More than £4.4m has been raised through the event since 1983 and I was delighted to contribute in some small part to the ongoing success of this event.

“The amount of time and work put in by the teams of volunteers to run the event is enormous. The camaraderie amongst the competitors is another key factor in the event and seeing such a large cross section of Scotland as you cross helps to underline how good a nation we are.”

Mackinnons offers bespoke legal services for residential property, personal advice, wills and estate planning, commercial property, business and corporate matters, renewables and dispute resolution.

The firm, which also has offices in Cults and Aboyne, is also well known and internationally recognised for its long-standing expertise in fishing, shipping and marine law.

The firm’s experienced team of solicitors provide professional, pragmatic, bespoke advice for clients, whether they are multinational corporations, local businesses or individuals.

As part of Mackinnons’ 175th anniversary celebrations this year the firm is raising money for The Fishermen’s Mission throughout 2017.

For more information about Mackinnons Solicitors and its range of legal and financial services, please visit: www.mackinnons.com

Law Firm To Host Employment Law Lunch And Learn

 Aberdeen City, Information  No Responses »
Jun 082017
 

With thanks to Ross Anderson, Senior Account Manager, Citrus:Mix

One of the north-east’s leading law firms will host a lunch and learn session in Aberdeen this month for those who want to find out more about employment law updates and modern practices.

Mackinnons Solicitors will hold the free event, which is open to all, at the firm’s headquarters at 14 Carden Place, Aberdeen from 12.30pm to 2pm on Thurs, June 15. For catering purposes, those wishing to attend should register with Employment Partner Nicola Gray who will cover updates in employment law and examples in the field.

Miss Gray is looking forward to the event and anticipates significant interest from the north-east business community.

She said:

“Employment law is a continually evolving field and it’s important to stay abreast of recent changes to be within the rules and legislation set out by the government.

“It is always a hot topic for most employers and I know many are keen to learn more about issues such as contracts, disciplinary, grievance and capability issues, and what not to do too.

“The lunch and learn will be useful to those who want a refresher of the field and to learn more about important updates and current practices.”

To register to attend the Employment Law and Practices Lunch and Learn, please contact Employment Partner Nicola Gray via (01224) 632464 or email: nicolagray@mackinnons.com

Mackinnons also offer bespoke legal services for residential property, personal advice, wills and estate planning, commercial property, business and corporate matters, renewables and dispute resolution.

The firm, which also has offices in Cults and Aboyne, is also well known and internationally recognised for its long-standing expertise in fishing, shipping and marine law.

The firm’s experienced team of solicitors provide professional, pragmatic, bespoke advice for clients, whether they are multinational corporations, local businesses or individuals.

As part of Mackinnons’ 175th anniversary celebrations the firm is raising money for The Fishermen’s Mission throughout 2017.

For more information about Mackinnons Solicitors and its range of legal and financial services, please visit: www.mackinnons.com

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Solicitors Combine 175th Anniversary With Charity Focus

 Aberdeen City, Articles  No Responses »
Mar 172017
 

With thanks to Ross Anderson, Senior Account Manager, Citrus:Mix

A leading north-east legal firm has launched a year-long fundraising drive for a charity which uniquely supports fishermen and their families as part of its 175th anniversary celebrations.
Established in Aberdeen in 1842, Mackinnons Solicitors is known for its long-standing expertise in fishing, shipping and marine law, and this year its partners and employees will raise money for The Fishermen’s Mission.

Headquartered on Carden Place in Aberdeen’s West End, Mackinnons also offer legal services for residential property, personal advice, wills and estate planning, commercial property, business and corporate matters, renewables, employment and dispute resolution.

The firm also has offices in Cults and Aboyne and its experienced team of solicitors provide professional, pragmatic, bespoke advice for clients, whether they are multinational corporations, local businesses or individuals.

Keith MacRae, senior partner at Mackinnons, said:

“We are very proud to mark the firm’s 175th anniversary and have several special events planned throughout 2017 for our clients and business contacts to enjoy.

“While it is important to acknowledge our long and successful history, we are also looking confidently to the future with a young and dynamic team which possess an impressive wealth of experience and expertise in their specialist fields.

“We have a long tradition of working with, and supporting The Fishermen’s Mission which provides emergency support and care to fishermen and to their families.

“We have always encouraged our team to participate in fundraising events, whether for one of the firm’s nominated charities or one that they personally feel passionate about and we look forward to working with The Fishermen’s Mission and raising as much as we can for them this year.”

As well as providing legal services, Mackinnons also provide consular services and assistance to Norwegian and Danish citizens and businesses in the north-east of Scotland.

Keith MacRae is the Honorary Norwegian Consul and Danish Vice Consul and Mackinnons property administrator Fiona Stevenson is the Honorary Norwegian Vice-Consul in Aberdeen.

Mr MacRae said:

“Consular work is an extra service for Norwegians and Danes in the north-east of Scotland and is something a little bit different which adds an extra dimension to what we can offer.

“The firm’s worldwide scope has increased our involvement with the offshore, shipping and commercial community over the last 30 years to the extent that the majority of our partners spend most of their time engaged in sea related or commercial legal work.

“Our Marine Law practice is the most experienced in Scotland with a team of Marine Law and Admiralty specialists who routinely deal with all aspects of marine law, providing our clients with focused, practical and commercial solutions.

“Their wealth of expertise allows us to respond swiftly and we also offer a 24/7 emergency response service for clients facing marine and offshore accidents and emergencies. This means we can arrive, advise and assist our clients immediately, when that advice and assistance is most required.

“Alongside that we have developed a very successful private client and property practice which delivers high quality legal services under the leadership of our Partner Pat Gray. We put our clients’ needs at the heart of everything we do and are proud of the longstanding connections we have with so many of those who instruct us.

“While shipping law and private client advice may seem quite different, our principles remain the same – to provide experienced and specialist services to all of our clients. This is echoed by our business law and employment teams.”

For more information about Mackinnons Solicitors and its range of legal and financial services, please visit: www.mackinnons.com

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Feel-good Factor Returns To Ballater

 Aberdeenshire, Articles  1 Response »
Jul 082016
 

With thanks to Esther Green, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR

DDS exterior1Businesses in Ballater have been buoyed by a feeling of optimism after seeing the reopening of a number of premises which were hit by floods in December last year.

A number of shops and offices in the Bridge Street area are back in action again which is helping to restore the feel-good factor in the centre of the village.

That’s the view of Richard Watts, chairman of Ballater Business Association, who comments:

“The way in which Ballater picked itself up to move forward after the serious and devastating consequences of Storm Frank has been quite remarkable.

“People have shown reliance, grit and determination to move forward. This can-do attitude has been inspiring.

“What’s been particularly worthy of mention has been the strong pulling together of the local community. That sense of support has been very evident and I am sure it will remain as the village continues to repair and heal from the worst floods in living memory.

“The message we want to highlight now is that Ballater is very much back in business – come and see for yourself!”

The sense of support and co-operation can be illustrated by two hair salons working together after the flooding forced the closure of one of the premises. After its Bridge Street salon was flooded, D’Tangled moved in to join the Hair Loft at Netherley Place. The arrangement worked so well that the temporary set up has been made permanent and both businesses will continue to trade under the one roof.

The former salon has now been converted into Deeside Design Studio (pictured), with Ian Rodger Architects in Aberdeen opening its first regional branch in Ballater. Joining associate Sarah Russell in operating from the office is quantity surveyor David Cobban who works for McCue and Porter in Aberdeen.

When Laurie & Co reopened its refurbished Ballater solicitor’s office, it expanded its workforce, welcoming a new associate solicitor to its team.

Messages of support received from all over the world were a real source of encouragement to Neil and Davinia Massie after Rock Salt and Snails in Ballater suffered extensive flood damage. The popular café is back in action and is looking forward to a busy summer season, welcoming back locals and visitors alike.

Fellow café owner Karen Gerrie of Brown Sugar Café has also been able to reopen her business, improving access for disabled customers during the refit.

Ballater Golf Course was back on course just three months after Storm Frank caused substantial damage when thanks to the help of volunteers, members of staff and employees of an oil company, the full 18 holes were reopened.

Months of hard work saw the Ballater Caravan Park official relaunched with the touring site substantially upgraded, including an upgraded toilet block and new play park.

Mr Watts says there are lots of good examples of how progress has been made, and believes that the business association can continue to benefit from the collaborative working seen since the floods.

He adds:

“As a business association, we hope to harness this spirit, using it to continue communication between local businesses, in the exchanging ideas to promote business in the area, and in considering local issues that concern the entire community.”

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