Scottish inbound marketing agency, Who Dares Marketing, has been awarded coveted partner status by search engine giant, Google.

The accreditation was granted just over a year since the business was established and follows an audit of the agency’s current search advertising campaigns against criteria set by Google.

Cameron McHattie, founder, said: “Receiving Google Partner status is the culmination of 12 months of hard work and ensuring that every campaign we run for our clients delivers the maximum value possible. Google set a pretty high bar when evaluating whether a company should be granted this status, so to meet the required standard reflects our commitment to providing high value campaigns to our clients.”

Google partner status is awarded based on various criteria set by the internet behemoth including; spend, campaign performance and certifications, which require at least one person connected to the business to hold up-to-date exams for various digital marketing disciplines.

At present, Who Dares Marketing holds partner status for Google’s core search, pay-per-click (PPC), product, although the agency has plans to gain further accreditations.

Cameron added: “Search advertising is a large part of our offering in which we add value to our client’s businesses as part of a rounded marketing strategy. This also includes, content, social media and web development. The business has ambitious growth plans over the next 12 months and this accreditation should give current and future clients further confidence in our services.”

Leading law firm Harper Macleod has bolstered its family law team with the recruitment of Partner Karen Gibbons, who will be based in the firm’s Edinburgh office at Citypoint, Haymarket.

Gibbons, accredited as a family law specialist by the Law Society of Scotland and former Chair of the Family Law Association of Scotland, was previously with Balfour & Manson LLP. She is dual-qualified in Scots and English law and is also accredited as a Family Law Mediator. She is also trained in Collaborative Practice.

She is the latest addition to the firm’s 20-strong Partner group in Edinburgh and also becomes the fourth partner, alongside Amanda Masson, Jenny Smith and Alexis Miller, in Harper Macleod’s 10-strong family team.

Martin Darroch, Chief Executive of Harper Macleod, said: “We are delighted that Karen has chosen to join what is already one of the strongest family law teams in the country. She is very well known and highly regarded in the sector and possesses exactly the type of drive and talent we look for in our people.

“The provision of personal legal services, including family law advice, is a major part of our business and Karen’s combination of experience and specialist knowledge complements our existing team in Edinburgh, as well as those based in Glasgow, Inverness and Lerwick. I’m sure she will be a great success and a welcome addition for our clients.”

Gibbons has extensive experience in all aspects of family law, including pre-nuptial, pre-cohabitation, separation agreements, divorce and child related matters, including child abduction.

She said: “Harper Macleod’s success and growth has been consistently impressive. What makes the firm stand out is not only its presence throughout Scotland and reputation for excellence, but also its progressive approach and energy for doing things differently. I am delighted to be joining such an innovative and vibrant firm.

“The family law team has a reputation for providing the highest levels of client service. I look forward to working with my colleagues to expand the firm’s family law presence in Edinburgh.”

The firm has also this week added two new solicitors to its Inverness office. Newly qualified solicitor Angela Gray will work with Partner Calum MacLeod who specialises in rural, energy and crofting work while Elizabeth Wilson will join the residential conveyancing team.

Brodies has promoted corporate lawyer Paul McLaughlin to Partner, bringing the number of Partners at Scotland’s largest law firm to 93.

Paul joined Brodies in 2005 and has carried out a wide variety of corporate work during his time at the firm. A member of the firm’s Funds Group, he specialises in advising UK-based and overseas clients and intermediaries on private fund formation, corporate reorganisation and joint venture structuring matters.

The announcement coincides with the promotion of eight Managing Associates and ten Associates across the following specialist areas: banking & finance; business disputes & asset recovery; commercial property; commercial services; corporate & commercial; employment; energy & infrastructure; family law; insurance & risk; land & rural business; and public law & regulatory.

Bill Drummond, Managing Partner of Brodies, said: “These well-deserved promotions recognise the specialist skills of the lawyers concerned, their in-depth knowledge of the sectors in which they operate and their willingness to go above and beyond on behalf of clients. I wish them every success as they embark on the next stage of their careers at Brodies and build on their achievements.

“Paul’s appointment, together with our internal promotions of Managing Associates and Associates, underscores Brodies’ commitment to fostering talent and developing and growing our services to ensure that clients are provided with relevant specialist legal advice of the highest quality.”

Paul said: “I am delighted to be promoted to Partner within the firm’s Funds Group and the broader Corporate & Commercial Department. Brodies has provided me with an excellent platform for the development of my knowledge and technical skills in the practice areas in which I work. I am looking forward to working alongside the other Partners within my department and the wider firm to ensure that Brodies continues to be at the forefront of specialist legal advice in Scotland.”

Commenting on his promotion to Managing Associate, Andy Nolan, Head of Brodies’ Sport Practice, added: “This is an exciting opportunity to continue to enhance and expand the firm’s sports law practice by developing innovative services that are relevant to clients involved in the full range of sports – from advice on safeguarding intellectual property rights, contracts and property, to privacy rights, regulation, litigation, disciplinary matters and employment issues.”

Following her traineeship with Brodies, Associate Jenna McCosh qualified and joined the Real Estate Department in 2012. She said: “Since starting out as a trainee at Brodies, the firm has been instrumental in encouraging my interests in the property industry, developing my technical skills and experience and guiding my career path to where it is today. I’m really looking forward to the next phase and expanding on my work with real estate clients.”