Brodies is expanding into Leeds by absorbing local firm Barton Legal as the Scottish firm seeks to build out its construction practice.
The Leeds opening is the firm’s second office in England and first outside of London. The eight-strong incoming team includes partner and Barton Legal founder Bill Barton, who has specialised in contentious and non-contentious construction law for more than 30 years.
With experience across a wide range of sectors, including industrial, education and renewable energy, Barton also represents specialist subcontractors, colleges and developers, offering advice on contracts, adjudication, arbitration and litigation. He also advises on international contracts, is a qualified mediator and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is the author of the popular Barton Legal podcast.
Stephen Goldie, Brodies’ managing partner, said the firm served a growing number of construction-sector clients operating in the north of England and across the UK, with Barton’s appointment complementing its existing contentious and non-contentious construction teams.
“This, combined with the opening of our office in Leeds, underlines our commitment to those construction clients and the value we place in those relationships,” he added.
Before setting up his firm in 2007, Barton was a partner at Watson Burton for just shy of a year, followed by stints as a partner at DLA Piper and Walker Morris for five and eight years, respectively. He joined DLA from legacy Edge Ellison, now part of Squire Patton Boggs, after training and qualifying in the West Midlands.
Barton said: “Brodies is a firm that I admire for its client-first approach, its sector expertise and its commitment to technical excellence.
“In joining the construction practice, I look forward to working alongside the firm’s wider team to bring the highest quality legal services to our clients across the UK.”
Writing on LinkedIn, Barton explained: “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved as Barton Legal in nearly 19 years and to have yet further opportunities with Brodies,” adding, “they have been magnificent from the start”.
Brodies, he said, is “ambitious, caring, friendly and driven. We are going to do great things, and having their new office in Leeds is brilliant”. He added that he would “ensure all our team is looked after and also have a fantastic future ahead of them”.
Brodies’ hire of Barton is the latest in a string of lateral acquisitions by the firm, which saw Andy Russell return to the firm as a partner after eight years in Qatar, where he was general counsel of North Oil Company, while it also hired disputes partner Graeme MacLeod from CMS in October.
Brodies reported strong financial results for the year ending 30 April 2025, recording its 15th consecutive year of growth and posting revenue of £126.7m, up 11% on the previous year, alongside a seven-partner May partner promotions round.
The Leeds opening means it now has six offices in the UK, including Inverness, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. It also maintains an office in Brussels at Scotland House following Brexit.
It opened an Abu Dhabi office in 2023 but subsequently lost its two resident partners to Clyde & Co in July.
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