Thorntons has announced a significant expansion of its Aberdeen operations with the appointment of Jennifer Young and Sarah Stuart as partners within its construction law practice.

The move strengthens the firm's regional service offering and its national commercial real estate division.

Both partners join from Ledingham Chalmers. Jennifer Young, who previously served as chair and managing partner there, is a specialist in construction law with over 20 years of accreditation from the Law Society of Scotland. Her expertise encompasses both non-contentious contract negotiations and complex dispute resolution. She currently serves as the convenor of the Law Society's Construction Law Accreditation Panel and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

Sarah Stuart brings nearly two decades of partner-level experience, focusing on commercial contract support for the energy and engineering sectors. Dual-qualified in Scots and English law, she advises on framework agreements, performance guarantees, and high-value commercial litigation. She is a member of the Northern Chapter committee of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and holds a ranking for construction in the Chambers and Partners legal directory.

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These appointments follow Thorntons' strategic expansion in the region, including the September 2025 merger with Patience and Buchan which established its first Aberdeen office.

Lesley Larg, Managing Partner at Thorntons, said: "Jennifer Young and Sarah Stuart are highly respected specialists in construction and engineering law, both with more than 20 years of experience of working with clients on complex and often very technical contractual matters including disputes.

"They have terrific knowledge of the local marketplace and share our deep commitment to exceptional client care. Each plays a key role in Aberdeen's world-renowned energy industry as trusted advisers to businesses in the supply chain.

"Importantly, Jennifer and Sarah will also join our growing commercial real estate team, which is now one of the largest of its kind in Scotland, advising on all aspects of commercial property from development, construction and leasing to buying and selling.

"Aberdeen is a key location for us as we continue to grow and we will be further expanding our team in the coming year to establish a full service offering in the city."

Now ranked as a Top 100 UK firm, Thorntons employs over 660 people across 14 Scottish offices. The firm provides a full suite of services across corporate, real estate, and dispute resolution sectors.