Meet our People

Roderick Urquhart, Partner

Coming from a long line of lawyers in the family (he is the fourth generation in the Firm) Roderick has built up an enviable reputation advising a wide range of clients, principally on the purchase and sale of residential property and private client matters.

Considered very approachable, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience, particularly on the residential property market in Edinburgh and East Lothian (where he lives).

He is a strong advocate of the advantages and benefits that a small, yet focussed law firm can provide to its clients, in particular the high level of personal service, a key factor that more and more clients consider a growing priority in current times.

Roderick qualified in 1984, was assumed as a Partner in 1986 and became Senior Partner in 2009.

He is a Trustee of the Lamp of Lothian Trust, and a Writer to the Signet.

Jim Baird, Partner

A third generation lawyer, Jim has spent his working life practising in Edinburgh’s New Town, and for thirty years has advised many families on legal and financial matters, in particular Wills, Trusts and passing assets down the generations, with as little tax payable as possible.

Jim qualified in 1984 and was assumed as a Partner in 1985.  He is a Writer to the Signet.

Stephen Blane, Partner and Solicitor Advocate

Stephen has more than twenty years experience of dealing with claims in the Court of Session and in Sheriff Courts throughout Scotland.

Stephen’s principal areas of practice are professional negligence – especially claims against solicitors, insurance law and family law.  He also has experience of almost every type of civil dispute that has come before the Courts.

He was admitted as a Solicitor Advocate (civil) in 2003, and since 2006 has been accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in professional negligence law.  He was assumed as a Partner in 2004.

Gillian Black, Partner

Gillian is a property lawyer with extensive experience in all aspects of residential and commercial property transactions in Edinburgh and throughout Scotland.  She also advises on a wide range of property related matters.

She offers a responsive, bespoke service to suit individual client requirements and needs, and prides herself on providing a very client focussed personal service from start to finish, with attention to detail throughout.  Gillian has a strong and loyal client following and is often recommended to clients by other property professionals.

A strong supporter of the ESPC, Gillian often assists by providing free advice as duty solicitor at the George Street centre.

Gillian has practiced as a lawyer in Edinburgh since 1994, joining Urquharts in 1998 and was assumed as a Partner in 2007.

Christine Mackenzie, Consultant

Christine has over 30 years experience in practice as a property lawyer, having been a Commercial Property Partner in a major Scottish firm for nine years, a principal in private practice on her own account for thirteen years and a Consultant to Urquharts since 2009.

She has an unrivalled breadth of experience in Scottish property law, including residential transactions, banking and security work, commercial acquisitions, sale and leasing, site acquisition and development, petrol station development, supply and leasing.

Christine’s extensive experience accumulated over many years of continuous practice in the field of property law, has resulted in her regularly being contacted by her peers for “second opinions” and for guidance in unusual and complicated property transactions, where her advice is always clear, straightforward and “no nonsense”.

Gillian Andrew, Associate

Gillian has extensive experience in all aspects of residential and commercial property law and has acted in a number of sales and purchases of small and medium sized businesses as going concerns, whether by way of asset or share sales.

She enjoys a strong and loyal client following and works with a wide variety of commercial clients in the fields of purchases, sales, leasing, development and licensing, and also with private clients in connection with their residential conveyancing and letting requirements.

She provides a personal service to all her clients, and draws on her wealth of experience, while remaining commercially focussed and adopting a sensible and practical approach.

Gillian has over twenty four years of experience in property and commercial transactions, having joined Urquharts originally as a Trainee in 1984.  She was a Partner in the Firm for ten years prior to reverting to Associate status in 2000 to accommodate family commitments.

Marie Cartney, Associate

Marie is a very experienced litigator who has represented a wide range of clients in injury and damage claims across Scotland.  She also routinely handles fatal accident enquiries, health and safety prosecutions, and contractual disputes.  She is a member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers.

She became a solicitor in 1999, and was assumed as an Associate of the firm in 2003.

Hilary Peppiette, Associate

Hilary advises on a wide range of private client matters, including Wills, Executries, Powers of Attorney and Guardianships.  She has particular interest in providing advice and assistance to elderly clients and in particular on issues surrounding capacity, including dementia.

Her friendly and approachable manner and her wide experience, ensures that she provides a caring, personal service to her clients.  She is very happy to visit clients in their own homes if they prefer.

Hilary trained at Urquharts in 1986-88, then returned to the Firm in 2003, and was assumed as an Associate in 2007.

Graeme Warren, Solicitor

After qualifying from Glasgow University in 2006 and Glasgow Graduate School of Law in 2007, Graeme returned to Edinburgh to train with a large Edinburgh law firm in 2008-2009, with a particular focus on property law.  He thereafter worked for a Dundee firm of solicitors on residential property transactions before joining Urquharts in 2010.

Graeme deals primarily with residential property in the Edinburgh area and beyond, and particularly enjoys working on less common property transactions including development plot purchases and sales.  He is also routinely involved in commercial property transactions, including the drafting and negotiating of commercial lease documentation.

Lorna McDowall, Paralegal

Lorna has been with Urquharts since 2005.  She is a very capable registered Wills and Executries Paralegal, and has twenty three years of experience, covering all aspects of executry administration of varying complexities.