Dentons has named Claire Armstrong as managing partner of the firm in Scotland, completing an all-female leadership team north of the border.

Armstrong, who is an investment funds and corporate finance partner in the firm’s UK corporate practice, will work alongside Glasgow office head Alison Bryce and Edinburgh office head Kirsti Olson. Dentons has been revamping its strategic focus on Scotland following its merger with Maclay Murray & Spens (MMS) in 2017.

Armstrong said: “[This year] marks the firm’s 150th anniversary in Scotland, and throughout our history we have advised Scottish clients on their most important legal matters. Our ambition is to continue this rich tradition, working with clients across Scotland, from well-established brands and household names with whom we have longstanding relations, through to start ups and all businesses in-between.”

She added: “We also bring to international businesses with investment plans in Scotland and Scottish businesses with international ambitions the scale and quality that no other law firm in the market can match.”

Armstrong joined MMS in 2011 from Fasken Martineau, having started her career at Biggart Baillie. Recent matters she has worked on include the merger of Murray Income Trust with Perpetual Income & Growth Investment Trust, creating one of the largest investment trusts in the UK equity income sector.

Paul Jarvis, who is due to become CEO of Dentons’ UK, Ireland and Middle East region at the start of May, said: “Scotland is an important market for our clients across the world and I’m very much looking forward to working with Claire and the other partners in Scotland to deliver on the exciting plans we have for our Scottish business.”

Last year the firm shuttered the Aberdeen office it inherited from its merger with MMS. Dentons said the move was prompted by the success of Covid-19 lockdown remote working measures, with its Aberdeen-based staff given the option to work in Edinburgh.

And earlier this month, Dentons’ 20-strong Scottish private client team departed for Shepherd and Wedderburn, led by partners Eleanor Kerr and Alexis Graham. Back in November, Dentons also parted company with a 22-strong financial services team, which joined Bristol firm TLT following Dentons’ decision to close its Watford office where the team was based.