Blackadders LLP announces a number of legal promotions
Scottish law firm, Blackadders LLP, has today announced that it has appointed a new partner alongside thirteen other promotions. The firm also announces the appointment of Neil Pickthall as their new chief operating officer.
The promotions are firm-wide and include lawyers based in their Aberdeen, Arbroath, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow offices.
John Dargie has been appointed partner at the firm’s Aberdeen office as it continues to target further growth and enhance its client service offering. John joined Blackadders in 2013 as a solicitor specialising in private client work. His area of expertise is in complex private client and succession planning matters with a specific interest in mental health and incapacity law. 
John said “I am delighted to become a partner at an established firm like Blackadders. I have had the privilege of working alongside a dedicated and talented team for a number of years and I am very proud to be taking on this role. I am committed to delivering a high standard of service to our clients and I look forward to the new challenges this role will bring.”
Other promotions include:
Private Client team
Jamie Robertson to legal director, Residential Property
Stewart Dunbar to legal director, Private Client
Rachael Delaney to senior solicitor, Private Client
Nikki Scott to senior paralegal, Estate and Executry Administration
Jacqueline Cameron to senior paralegal, Estate and Executry Administration
Joanne Urquhart to paralegal, Estate and Executry Administration
Business Services team
Nicola Brown to legal director, Dispute Resolution
Suzi Low to legal director, Corporate & Commercial
Azeem Arshad to associate solicitor, Commercial Property
Dario Demarco to associate solicitor, Corporate & Commercial
Richard Wilson to senior solicitor, Corporate & Commercial
Rebecca Thompson to senior solicitor, Dispute Resolution
Susan Currie to senior solicitor, Dispute Resolution
Managing partner, Johnston Clark, said: “2020 was extremely challenging but our team demonstrated their resilience and flexibility and allowed us to adapt to the changing world whilst maintaining the high standard of service our clients expect from us. These promotions are in recognition of the significant contributions made during the last 12 months.”
He added, “It is essential that we continue to develop and reinvest in our staff to ensure that we offer our clients the best service. We are committed to offering opportunities for career development and progression. I am incredibly proud to see so many of our people moving forward in their careers and on behalf of our management board, I extend my congratulations to them all and wish them every success in their new roles.”
The firm is also delighted to announce that Neil Pickthall joins the firm as chief operating officer. Neil has spent the last 5 years as the SSE renewables competency and development team manager, where he had responsibility for competence management and personal development of all staff to ensure they develop and maintain the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to perform in their role and support the operational safe system of work.
Neil said: “I am hugely excited and privileged to be joining Blackadders as the new chief operating officer and relish the opportunities that lie ahead. I will bring my vast experience of operational management from a diverse range of industry sectors to support the firm in achieving its strategic objectives.”
This appointment comes following the retirement of chief operating officer, Bob Murdach. The firm thanked Bob for his valuable contribution to the business during his nine years of service and wish him all the very best in his retirement.
Aberdeen partner, Peter Robertson, also recently retired. Peter has been in private practice for 37 years, having previously been a partner of the well-respected law practice, Adam Cochran. The firm thanked him for his exceptionally hard work over the years and wish him well for the future.
Blackadders now has 29 partners and 218 staff across its offices in Dundee, Aberdeen, Arbroath, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth.
