Employment law & HR expert expands firm into Scotland

Her company has a £1.3 million turnover and has expanded from its headquarters in Kent to include offices in Brighton and London and now Edinburgh.

Ms Loch, who is a dual-qualified lawyer in Scots and English law has brought on board Chris Phillips, an accredited employment law specialist, as a partner to run the new Edinburgh office. He will be joined by HR consultants from HR Advise Me.

Mr Phillips studied politics and international development at the University of Glasgow before gaining his law degree from the University of Edinburgh.

He trained alongside Ms Loch at niche employment law practice Mackay Simon – qualifying in 1997 and becoming a partner in 2000 – before spending ten years as a partner at Maclay, Murray & Spens. He served for a further four years as a partner with Simpson & Marwick and then Clyde & Co before joining Ms Loch’s practice as partner.

Ms Loch is a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association (ELA), an accredited mediator and is a former president of both West Kent Chamber of Commerce and Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & District Law Society.

Mr Phillips is a member of both the ELA and the Scottish Discrimination Lawyers Association. He has been accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as an employment law specialist since 2005 and is an external examiner in employment law for the University of Dundee.