01 April 2014

bto solicitors’ Insurance team has today gained two new Partners; Angus Crawford, who joins the firm from Berrymans Lace Mawer in Manchester, and Ashley Mawby, who has been promoted within the firm’s top ranked Professional Liability team, which sits within the wider Insurance team. These additions bring the total number of partners at bto to 40.

Alan Borthwick, Partner and head of bto’s Property and Real Estate team, also assumed his role as the new chairman of bto, replacing the firm’s longstanding chairman Willie Young.

Insurance Partner Angus Crawford brings significant expertise in running recoveries schemes for insurers and in multi-jurisdictional work. He is also experienced in handling product liability cases, property litigation and providing policy advice. Angus will work closely with Partners Bill Speirs and Mark Morton to enhance bto’s recoveries offering to insurers and to deal with English cases as required.

When asked about his move to bto, Angus said: “I see bto as a growing and dynamic firm and joining the bto team is a great opportunity. I re-qualified in Scots law to make the move and I am looking forward to practising in Scotland.”

 Ashley Mawby is an experienced litigator who specialises in defending claims against professionals. She has a particular focus on the defence of claims and court actions against solicitors and advises their insurers on the whole range of claims against the profession. She also has considerable experience of acting on behalf of accountants, surveyors, architects and engineers.

Bill Speirs, Partner and head of bto’s Insurance team commented: “The addition of Angus to our team ensures that bto remains comfortably one of the largest insurance practices in Scotland with almost 70 insurance professionals. The Insurance team alone has increased by on average 13% in each of the last two years, we have retained all of our panel appointments and secured a number of significant new panel wins. I am confident that Angus and Ashley will assist the team in maintaining this level of progress and success and that bto will continue to flourish under the leadership of Alan Borthwick.”