Today, we have announced that our Scotland office will be opening on 19 November, with the appointment of commercial litigator, Stefanie Johnston, as Partner to lead the operation. By expanding our geographical footprint into Scotland, we are building on our heritage in key sectors such as marine and energy, deepening our local capabilities and strengthening the firm’s UK and international offering.

As a dual-qualified marine and commercial litigation lawyer, Stefanie has over 15 years’ experience working across UK jurisdictions and brings expertise in sectors including shipping, ports, energy and construction. She is a member of the British Ports Association, UK Harbourmaster Association, Port Skills & Safety and also the Comité Maritime International Working Group on Polar Shipping. Her role will be effective from 19 November 2021.

At Ince, Stefanie will focus on the strategic development of the Scottish operations whilst working closely with colleagues in other offices across complementary practices including corporate, maritime, energy and infrastructure and insurance.

Commenting on the announcement, Stefanie Johnston, said:

“The opening of Ince Scotland is exciting for the market and for Scotland. It reflects the firm’s long-standing synergies with traditional and emerging sectors which stand at the heart of the Scottish economy. I am looking forward to building relationships with the company’s existing clients in Scotland, expanding our presence across the country, as well as working collaboratively across the various practice areas within Ince’s global network in order to bring shared value to clients in key industries. Having previously worked alongside several senior figures at Ince, I am delighted by the prospect of working with some of the industry’s best talent in order to provide clients with the level of expertise for which Ince is renowned.”

Julian Clark, Global Senior Partner at Ince said:

“As we embark on ambitious growth plans in Scotland, Stefanie’s impressive track record in building practices ideally positions her for this leadership role. With her expertise in ports, maritime and energy we can increase our focus on the services that we can offer clients in growing areas such as renewables and climate litigation as well as providing unparalleled services to clients in areas such as ports, insurance, maritime and cruise.”

Adrian Biles, Chief Executive Officer at Ince concluded:

“We are always looking to improve and enhance our international offering and sector specialisms, and the addition of a dedicated Scotland office is another exciting step towards becoming a leading business advisory group. Stefanie will be a great asset in this next phase of our growth journey.”