Ms Wardell brings a wealth of experience to the team, having worked in-house with Shelter before joining the commercial disputes resolution team at Maclay Murray & Spens in 2014, prior to its merger with Dentons in 2017.

The University of Glasgow and University of Dundee alumnus has particular expertise in complex commercial disputes, contractual disputes and property litigation, including considerable experience working on public inquiries, including the UK Covid-19 inquiry.

She will be working mainly on Court of Session matters, including judicial review and property litigation.

Ms Wardell said: “I’m excited to be part of such a dedicated team and apply my experience to new projects with WJM.

“I’m also looking forward to collaborating with the team on delivering continued success for our clients.

“It’s an exciting time to be joining the firm, after it joined forces with Davidson Chalmers Stewart earlier this year.

Fraser Gillies, managing partner at WJM, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Sarah to the conflict resolution team.

“Sarah already has an extensive background in dispute work, and we look forward to working with her to build on her successes.”

Partner Laura Irvine, head of WJM’s regulatory team and the Edinburgh conflict resolution team, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Sarah as partner in our conflict resolution team – she is an excellent addition.

“Sarah brings a wealth of experience, and we know she will be a huge asset to our firm at a very busy time for the conflict resolution team.”