Digby Brown appoints three new Partners and 12 Associates following record year of growth

Personal injury firm Digby Brown Solicitors has appointed three new Partners across a variety of offices and specialisms.

Fern Mapp takes her position with the Foreign & Travel team in Edinburgh – she is renowned for helping people in complex and high-profile matters like international offshore incidents and the Clutha helicopter disaster.

Iona Brown, who has been at Digby Brown since 2000, has a depth of knowledge and experience vital to the firm’s standing across Ayrshire and the south west – Iona, who operates within the Network department, is an experienced litigator known for her victory in Kennedy v Cordia Services at the UK Supreme Court.

And Ryan Smith, based in Kirkcaldy, bolsters the legal services for people in Fife and the east – his consistent delivery of results contributed to a record recovery of £158million in damages in 2023/24 and his expertise and people-first attitude is why he is now going to be running the Digby Brown GPIL Kirkcaldy office.

The deserved recognition of each person brings the total number of Digby Brown Partner promotions this month to five following last week’s announcement of Richard Pitts and Colin Moffat earning their appointments following landmark success in the complex field of historic abuse claims in Scotland.

Fraser Oliver, Chief Executive of Digby Brown, said: “These Partner appointments reflect the year-on-year growth we continue to achieve.

“We have always been committed to improving access to justice and being an employer of choice – this is why we invest in our people so they have the skills needed to be industry-leading litigators and feel empowered to deliver the life-affirming results that injured people and bereaved families deserve.

“A sincere congratulations to all who have been recognised as their work helps make Digby Brown what it is.”

In addition to five new Partners the firm has promoted 12 people to Associate:

• Aine McShane - Clinical Negligence (Glasgow)
• Chris Ritchie – GPIL (Dundee)
• Ewen Reid – GPIL (Inverness)
• Fiona Bissett – GPIL (Kirkcaldy)
• Kimberley MacLennan – GPIL (Aberdeen)
• Kerry Whyte – GPIL (Aberdeen)
• Sam Boyce – GPIL (Glasgow)
• Andy MacDonald – Foreign & Travel (Glasgow)
• Justyna Rompca - Foreign & Travel (Edinburgh)
• Kate Cloherty – Network (Glasgow)
• Rachel Black – Network (Edinburgh)
• Zara Rafferty – Network (Edinburgh)

As part of the promotions the firm has also appointed Partner Gordon Dalyell to Head of Non-Accidental Injury – in addition to overseeing Edinburgh Network he brings decades of experience, particularly in miscarriage of justice claims, that will enhance our legal support for clients and the growth of the teams.

Partner Lianda Barnes is also set to return to Digby Brown’s brand-new Dundee office where she will consolidate and enhance the firm’s motorcycle accident claims.