Our latest financial results and senior leadership changes

Financial results

For the third year running our full-service firm has seen its highest turnover since becoming an LLP in 2006.

Turnover for 2023/24 was £14.3million, compared with £13.4million in 2022/23.

Group turnover, including subsidiary Ledingham Chalmers Financial, was £14.9million, compared with £14.2million in 2022/23. Pre-tax profit was slightly down on the year before — £3.2million compared with £3.5million.

This difference in profit is due to continued investment in our workforce, combined with factors affecting all businesses such as higher operating overheads. It also reflects early investment in moving to a new office in Ord House, Cradlehall Business Park, Inverness.

In June, we announced we’d invested a six-figure sum in the new premises in the north of Scotland, following team growth of almost 40% since the start of 2023. The move brought together colleagues from our Church Street and Beechwood Business Park sites in the city.

And in the next phase, all estate agency and conveyancing colleagues in Aberdeen will move back to the Johnstone House premises when the Alford Place lease expires in December.

New leadership structure

Over the last two financial years, we’ve seen record turnover since becoming an LLP along with our highest headcount. This growth, combined with a consistently competitive marketplace means the managing partner role, held by Jennifer Young, has evolved considerably.

As such, from 1 November, Jennifer stepped down as managing partner, continuing as a partner in the Aberdeen office. She was keen to step back into a more client-facing role as a valued partner focusing on her construction law specialism, and an elected management board will now be responsible for the firm’s day-to-day management and driving forward our strategy.

This board comprises Inverness-based partners JP Campbell and Victoria Leslie, together with Aberdeen-based partner Peter Murray. All three will serve for an initial 18 months alongside the firm’s chief operating officer, Chris Mackenzie.

I was elected as chair — a role I’ll hold for the next three years as well as continuing as the head of the private client team. I’ll be working closely with the management board and lead all partner meetings.

This change in leadership structure, as well as our continued investment in our talented colleagues — and the environments in which they work — represents our commitment to growth.

I do also want to say something specifically about Jennifer. For 12 years, she’s served as chairman and — more recently — managing partner. It’s important to acknowledge — and thank her for — the integral role she’s played in our success over that time, including helping steer the firm through a global pandemic as well as a period of growth with record turnover as an LLP. I know she'll continue to be one of the firm’s staunchest advocates.

Headcount and external recognition

In terms of people, since January 2024, 26 people have joined our firm, meaning our headcount on 31 October was 194 including 22 partners, and recruitment is also underway for a further four posts in Aberdeen and Inverness: three solicitors and one administrative role.

Our firm is consistently ranked in legal directories and in the 2025 Legal 500 and Chambers UK 2025, 18 people and six disciplines were recognised: corporate and commercial, employment, personal injury — defender, agriculture and rural affairs, construction, and commercial property.

Legal 500 also ranked teams for their excellence in client satisfaction — a new score assessing client experience and service delivery.