Edinburgh

Five members of Clyde & Co's Edinburgh-based private client team are set to leave the firm for local outfit Gillespie Macandrew.

Led by partner Nikki Dundas, the team also includes two associates, an 'executry manager' and a member of support staff, according to a person with knowledge of the move, which will take place on September 2.

The team joined Clydes just four years ago, when it moved across as part of the firm's 2015 merger with Scottish property specialist Simpson & Marwick.

Clydes Scotland managing partner David Tait said in a statement: "Gillespie Macandrew is an excellent fit for Nikki and her team and allows them to carry on providing high-quality private client work for their clients. We thank Nikki and the team for their contribution to the firm over the years and wish them all the best for the future."

Clydes' merger with Simpson & Marwick followed a trend that saw a raft of London firms enter the Scottish market through local tie-ups. In 2012, McGrigors merged with Pinsent Masons, while in 2014 CMS took over Edinburgh-headquartered Dundas & Wilson.

Clydes' Scottish residential property division continues to trade under the Simpson & Marwick name.

Yesterday (August 22), Clydes announced that it was boosting pay for its newly-qualified solicitors by £5,000 to £70,000, while it also retained 37 out of 43 (86%) of its latest trainee cohort.