Law firm with offices in Caithness is a finalist in Scottish heat of Celebrating Small Business Awards
A law firm that has offices in Thurso and Wick is a finalist in the Scottish heat of a national award scheme.
Inksters Solicitors is in contention in the self-employed/sole trader of the year category of the Celebrating Small Business Awards, organised by the Federation of Small Businesses.
Brian Inkster set up Inksters as a sole trader in 1999. Twenty-three years later he is still a sole trader but with nine employees and 17 other sole traders all working under the Inksters brand from 10 offices around Scotland.
Since 2013, Mr Inkster has developed Plug & Play Law – a model whereby senior lawyers can work as a collective, with enhanced technology and back-office support. It is based around a "hub-and-spoke" model, with a back-office “hub” (Glasgow) and “spokes” elsewhere – currently in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Eigg, Forfar, Inverness, Lerwick, Portree, Thurso and Wick.
During the pandemic, Inksters added five new self-employed solicitors. At the same time, the employed support team increased by three.
Mr Inkster said, “I am very pleased to see Inksters reach this stage in the high-profile FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards. It recognises the transformation we have gone through during the pandemic and the fact that we have transitioned to a law firm where our solicitors are self-employed/sole traders.”
The Scottish final takes place on March 31 in Edinburgh.