This week, we continue our Member of the Week spotlight on Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP (WJM). In this second instalment, the team share how their Inverness office is deeply connected to the local community – supporting businesses through initiatives like the Inverness & Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, championing local enterprise, and giving back through sponsorships and events. WJM also reflect on the value of Chamber membership and the importance of collaboration in driving growth across the Highlands.
As one of Scotland’s leading law firms, with a presence in the heart of Inverness, Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP have gone from strength to strength while supporting businesses and individuals across the region.
Local engagement is key to driving the business forward and the Inverness office and its team demonstrate this day in, day out.
Local knowledge and expertise
We have offices across Scotland and we make it our business to embed ourselves in the local community, understand the challenges and opportunities on our doorstep, and get involved in local initiatives where we can.
Right now there’s no bigger opportunity than Inverness & Cromarty Firth Green Freeport (ICFGF), which has been a key area of focus for our team. We’ve been busy advising clients and providing counsel on how to unlock the benefits that ICFGF brings.
To help create a space for questions to be asked and constructive discussions to take place, we held a special Green Freeport event at the end of 2024. Featuring informative guest speakers, and taking place as part of Highland Business Week, it got a brilliant level of engagement from companies looking to explore new opportunities.
We’ve continued the momentum around Freeports by providing regular free legal advice via support desks at The PowerHouse, as well as working with Executive Magazine to highlight the various tax benefits of the ICFGF advise businesses on how to capitalise on them.
Supporting the local community
It’s so important to get involved in the local community and help to address the issues that will make a difference and support business in the area.
That’s why we helped champion new enterprise in the Highlands & Islands via our involvement in Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s Gaelic Business Accelerator Programme – Cruthachadh Chothroman.
We were proud to pledge our financial support and legal advice around intellectual property and commercial requirements to the winners. It can be daunting to take that leap and start your own business, so this initiative provides a wonderful opportunity for local start-ups by offering vital support during this crucial phase.
Reaching out further into the community, we continued with our silver class sponsorship of the Caithness Show and have expanded our reach further east into Nairnshire with our sponsorship of the Nairn Half Marathon.
These events are much-loved and vital for the region – sponsorship helps local events to thrive, and we also embrace the opportunity to get out to them and meet with existing and potential clients.
Our commitment to local engagement is key as we continue to grow, evolve, and support clients on the issues that matter most to them.)
Future plans
(We’re hosting a specialist GP seminar in partnership with our DCS colleagues at the Kingsmills Hotel on Wednesday 29 October, offering sector-specific legal guidance tailored for GP practice managers.
We’re also encouraging conversations with owner-managed and family businesses affected by the major changes to Inheritance Tax, and with our strengthened agricultural and rural law capability (thanks to the newest additions to our team, Henrietta and Eilidh) we can now offer even greater support to farmers, estates, and landowners across the Highlands.
Our main goal is to continue our steady growth in the Highlands, and that means continuing to strengthen our collaborative work with our colleagues from Irwin Mitchell and Davidson Chalmers Stewart to maximise opportunities and provide the best for our clients. We’re also committed to helping Highland businesses take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, ensuring they have the right legal and commercial guidance to benefit fully from this major economic development. In collaboration with the Freeport, we are supporting a free monthly legal helpdesk for businesses looking to make the most of the opportunities of the Freeport. The next one is on 23 October – come along if you have questions!
Chamber Membership
We want to shine a light on our talented and growing Inverness team, championing the expertise of our people and showcasing the services we can provide to fellow Chamber members and the wider community. We are proud to be members of this forward-thinking and dynamic network of companies committed to working together for the benefit of the local business community.
The advantage to being a member is clear – it offers a platform for meaningful connections, mutual benefits, and access to opportunities that help both our business and our clients, and the wider business community, to flourish.
We’ve formed a number of really strong relationships through Chamber networking events that have developed into strong client relationships and have also seen referrals coming from other Chamber members.
We’d give one simple piece of advice – turn up and get involved whenever possible. You’re not in the game if you’re not present. Meet new people, follow up with contacts, learn from others and take full advantage of all the benefits that come with being a Chamber member.
A big thank you to Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP for taking over our blog this week and giving us an insight into their people, their values, and their work across the Highlands and beyond. We’re proud to have them as part of the Chamber community and look forward to seeing their continued success.