Inverness legal firm Munro and Noble makes history as it breaks through cross-border barrier for handling home sales and purchases in Scotland and England
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History has been made with an Inverness legal firm being the first in the north of Scotland to be able to handle sales and purchases in England as well as north of the border.
Munro and Noble were advised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales that they were the first predominantly Scottish law firm to be authorised by them to undertake conveyancing in England and Wales.
The firm’s senior partner Mary Nimmo said: “With the rush of homebuyers from England seeking to relocate to the Highlands, we were able to act for the seller but not the buyer.
“We realised it would be much more effective and less expensive for the client if we did both – and we had Laura McCarthy, a solicitor with both Scottish and English legal qualifications, which saw us ideally placed to break through the barrier.
“Laura’s proved so busy with cross-border work that we now have Freya Macleod, from Nairn, an English trainee solicitor, assisting her. It’s proved to be a real success story.”
Qualifying as a solicitor in England in January 2008, Laura first came to Inverness from Canterbury in October 2013, when her husband, then with the army, was posted to Fort George prior to serving in Afghanistan.
“Converting to a Scottish legal qualification without any funding help was incredibly stressful,” she said.
“But I studied intensively while working as an admin assistant at Highland Council and in January 2015, I passed my conversion exams allowing me to practice in Scots law. Ironically, my husband was posted back to England two months later!
“However, by March 2017, he was back at Fort George and I was able to join Munro and Noble, initially as a court solicitor. We both love this area and intend to put down roots in Inverness.”
Laura said: “There was a clear gap in the market for clients to have one solicitor to sell their English house and buy their new Scottish property – or vice versa.
“There’s a tremendous appetite for this service, I’ve been really inundated.
“We were fortunate to recruit Freya Macleod and she’s been an absolute godsend.”
Freya said: “After passing my legal practice course I was searching for a training contract while working as a conveyancer in Stockport.
“I was keen to return to the Highlands and Munro and Noble provided the perfect opportunity for me."
Law practice continues to grow
