Axiom Advocates celebrates first birthday.

23 April 2008

Axiom Advocates, the group comprising many of Scotland's top advocates specialising in commercial and public law, is celebrating its first birthday.

One year ago today, Axiom opened for business. Led by a core group of seven advocates, including QCs Heriot Currie, Paul Cullen and David Johnston, a further 22 advocates were selected to join Axiom on the basis of merit, a radical departure from previous practice. Axiom has now grown to 32 members.

Axiom became the first group to offer specialist expertise in clearly defined practice areas, in this case commercial and public law, ranging from corporate law and financial services to human rights and other constitutional issues.

At the heart of what Axiom promises is a more commercial, service-orientated operation, with an approach more focused on client needs.

Reflecting on the last year, Axiom's current chairman David Johnston QC said:

"As we launched Axiom, we were united by a clear sense of purpose. We wanted to meet our clients' needs in a more effective way, more in tune with how they operate. Clients nowadays are not much interested in learning that the Bar is a traditional centre of excellence: they want excellence here and now in the pursuit of their own cases. More and more, they also want specialised expertise in particular areas of law. One year on, the indications are that our efforts to provide a more effective, responsive, and focused service are bearing fruit. Solicitors and their clients now have the assurance that in turning to Axiom they will be represented by advocates who have the skills and the specialist experience they need.

"The decision to focus on particular areas of practice has been justified: clients have welcomed the ease with which they can identify what our specialisms are.

"Recruiting advocates on merit has also been well-received and has engendered a strong confidence in the group as a whole. "Even our website has been recognised by clients as a simple but important tool in enabling them to gather the information they require when looking to engage an advocate.

"Business in the first year has been good, but we are not complacent. There is always room for improvement and we continue to look for ways of developing our relationship with clients as we enter our second year."

In their first year, Axiom introduced a monthly series of lectures and seminars during term entitled the Third Thursday Series. Chaired and presented by Axiom advocates, these aim to provide topical insights into developments in the law and legal practice.

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