Blackadders LLP has boosted its Glasgow Private Client team by promoting James Hyams to Partner.

James joined Blackadders in January 2023 as a Director, working in the Blackadders’ Edinburgh office with Partner Karen Phillips.

He has experience in assisting clients on Private Client work including wills, succession planning, inheritance tax mitigation, incapacity, executry administration and the setting up and administration of trusts.

James qualified as a solicitor in August 2017 and worked in the private client team of a mid-sized firm in Edinburgh where he trained. James is an accredited member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). His appointment to partner is effective from 1^st April 2025.

James said: “I am delighted to be joining the partnership at Blackadders at such an exciting time for the firm.

“There is an excellent private client team in Glasgow that is already in place and I look forward to working more closely with everyone in the team.”

Emma Gray, Joint Managing Partner, said: “James is already proving to be a fantastic addition to the Glasgow team and we look forward to working together to raise the firm’s performance and profile in the west of Scotland and with our teams across Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee.”

There have been several other solicitor promotions at Blackadders, including Lucy Smith becoming Legal Director in the Residential Property team (Dundee). Blair Duncan, a lawyer in the Employment Team (Aberdeen) and Anelia Black, a lawyer in Private Client, have both been promoted to Associate (Edinburgh).

Emma Gray added: “We are now in the third year of a strategy to accelerate the growth of the firm and to become an employer of choice. Investing in our staff is key to ensure we reach our ambitious goals and continue to deliver the best possible service to clients. The promotions strengthen our team and recognise the sustained performance and high level of skills each individual has shown I congratulate them on their work so far and wish them all well in their new roles.”

The Private Client Team at Blackadders is central to the firm’s growth plans and has invested significant time and resources in improving client service. With one of the best Private Client executry books in Scotland, the team strives to guarantee the best service possible.

The Private Client team operates across Scotland and specialises in:

• Wills
• Powers of Attorney
• Adults with Incapacity
• Trusts, Tax and Executries.

The Team acts for a diverse range of clients including individuals, families, trustees, executors, and businesses.

Blackadders’ Private Client solicitors are recognised specialists in private wealth law and this is underscored by the majority holding STEP membership and a number holding Law Society of Scotland accreditations. They also work closely with Blackadders Wealth Management LLP to provide a fully rounded legal and financial service to clients, often co-advising high net worth clients on inheritance tax planning, trust creation and asset protection.