A focus on long-term investment and planning helped major north-east law firm Thorntons boost its profits last year.
New accounts lodged with Companies House show the Dundee-headquartered firm a limited liability partnership with operations across Tayside, Fife and in Edinburgh managed to boost revenues by almost £1.9 million to £16.27m in the year to May 31 2014.
Profits for the year before members’ remuneration and profits shares came in at £3.98m, a significant uplift from the £2.66m of a year earlier.
The chairman, Jack Robertson, said the results were testament to the company’s long-term investment strategy and its dedication to continuous improvement.
“Turnover for the business this year has continued to show some good growth overall, rising by 13%,” Mr Robertson said.
“The investments that have been made in the business, and our commitment to focusing on our operational processes to improve the efficiency of the business, has resulted in increased profitability.
“We are committed to providing our clients with a full-service offering, and this has ensured that our business remains strong in what are still challenging trading conditions overall.
“These results are very much an outcome of our clear strategy for growth in certain areas of our business, and our continued commitment to invest for the long term.
“We are confident that we have a stable base from which to grow in the short to medium term.”
The documents show the Yeaman Shore-based firm had 18 designated members during the year and a total average monthly workforce of 229 staff.
However, the company has since grown significantly into one of Scotland’s largest legal firms following a twin merger with Murray Donald of St Andrews and Cupar’s Steel Eldridge Stewart.
The move was announced immediately post financial year-end in June, and the integration of the two businesses has since been completed.
The enlarged practice has 40 partners and more than 400 employees overall, and has ambitions to break into Scotland’s top 10 legal firms by size an elite group which is dominated by large Central Belt concerns.
Mr Robertson said the firm’s strong position was down to the hard work of the partners and staff, and a new long-term strategic plan for the business would help the firm push forwards this year and beyond.
“We’re delighted to have completed the mergers with Steel Eldridge Stewart and Murray Donald in the latter part of 2014, and we are already pursuing new opportunities for the enlarged business,” Mr Robertson told The Courier last night.
“An example of this is the expansion of our specialist agricultural and land and rural business expertise into Fife.
“Having consciously invested in our estate agency, we are pleased to report an improved market share. We will continue to invest in this part of the business with a view to maintaining this position in 2015.
“We’ve now started work on our strategic plan for the next five years, and will be communicating that to our 400-plus staff during the course of 2015.
“In a year of consolidation, we’re continuing to trade well and we expect the turnover of our enlarged business to break through the £20m barrier in our next financial year.”