The Shetland firm’s client base includes private clients, families, landowners and SMEs, with practice areas focused on residential property, private client, commercial property, crofting and other work related to commercial business clients. Anderson Strathern has an existing client base in Shetland and across the north of Scotland.

As part of the merger, Neil Risk will become a partner at Anderson Strathern and head of the firm’s Shetland office, with plans to expand the team in Lerwick over the next twelve months.

Neil Risk Solicitor and Estate Agent was established by Neil Risk in 1995, since 2002 has operated from premises at the North Ness Business Park and the firm has a headcount of eight.

The merger will take place on 1 April 2021. Anderson Strathern has completed a series of mergers in recent years including with Glasgow-headquartered Hardy Macphail in October 2019.

Murray McCall, Anderson Strathern’s managing partner, said: “Neil has established and grown a highly-rated team operating out of Lerwick and our combined offering means we will be able to offer a broader range of legal, asset management and HR services in Shetland and the local region.

“From residential and commercial property to fishing, oil and gas, agriculture, crofting, tourism, leisure, food and drink, space and satellite, local government and an array of small businesses, there are so many successful sectors across Shetland that match up with our own strengths.

“There are strategic reasons for expanding our footprint in Scotland. A northern Scottish presence supports our strategic objective to be the independent Scottish law firm of choice. Strengthening links in the north of Scotland, and the island communities in particular, will be much easier with an office and local presence in the region.”

Mr Risk added: “We’ve worked well with Anderson Strathern over the last couple of years, including via referrals, and when the opportunity to join the firm came up we were convinced by the strategic rationale for a merger. Anderson Strathern’s various practices strengthen our offering to clients in Shetland and across the region, and we are also now actively looking to recruit in Lerwick over the next year.

“I started the firm with one secretary 26 years ago, a secretary who is still with the firm and is now a senior member of the team. Two decades on, the team has grown to eight, many of whom have been with the firm for a substantial amount of time.

“That means we have been able to offer our clients a high quality service down the years, and we’re proud to have so many longstanding and loyal clients. Shetland, in common with other communities throughout Scotland, has shown resilience through the pandemic and the expectation is that we can now look forward to a brighter future for the local economy.”