Full-service law firm Thorntons is targeting substantial growth in the West of Scotland with the opening of a prestigious new Glasgow office which is double its existing capacity.

The Scottish firm, which has a long history of working with Glasgow clients, has operated from serviced offices in the city since 2019. Thorntons employs more than 500 people and partners across 13 Scottish offices including its Glasgow and Edinburgh locations.

Its new premises at Lomond House, located in George Square at the heart of the business community, will be the firm’s first permanent home in Glasgow. The 7,200sq ft office will be able to host more than 60 desks, double the headcount of the existing team of almost 30 people.

The business has invested £400,000 in the open plan layout which also incorporates client meeting areas and flexible space that will support collaborative working and social events. Its sustainable design will maximise natural light and reduce energy consumption.

Thorntons’ expansion in Glasgow is key to its ambitious growth plans in the Central Belt and follows the success of its Edinburgh office, which opened in 2004 with a team of three and now employs more than 100 people.

The Glasgow practice will focus on providing specialist business law advice to clients operating in the city’s most prominent sectors including commercial real estate, technology, higher education and housing associations, while also seeking to engage with businesses across the wider West region.

Among Thorntons’ experts in Glasgow are partners Pamela Muir, who leads on insolvency, intellectual property, media and technology specialist Liam McMonagle, and Hugo Allan and Aimee Gibbons, who specialise in commercial property and construction.

The firm’s expansion follows a run of recent business wins, including being appointed to further areas of work in Wheatley Housing Group’s legal services framework following a highly competitive tender process, and strong growth by existing clients.

Among the latter is Dean Banks, the chef and restaurateur, who was one of the first clients managed by Thorntons’ Glasgow team and is now set to open his first eatery in the city with support from the firm’s commercial real estate lawyers.

As part of the firm’s strategic plans it will be pursuing further organic growth, but it will also be targeting lateral hires and building on its track record of successful mergers and acquisitions to achieve its goals.

The firm recently added to its real estate team with the appointment of a new senior solicitor and legal director and will be announcing the hire of senior, well-established Glasgow legal figures in the coming weeks.

Lesley Larg (pictured above), managing partner, Thorntons, said: “After many years of working with clients in Glasgow we are building on our presence and launching our first permanent office in the city. I’ve always found Glasgow to be a very welcoming place to do business and can’t wait to open our doors at George Square and show everyone our fantastic, flexible space.

Clients brought us here and helped us to flourish, but we also owe our success to our brilliant people in Glasgow who provide a first-class service to the city’s businesses and have stimulated demand. “

She added: “As we bed in, we will be growing our team and engaging with a wider range of businesses across the West. We also look forward to contributing to the local community, especially in Glasgow which is world renowned for the strength of its community.”