Phil Chalmers is a Managing Associate in AG's Finance and Restructuring team in the Middle East. 

Having trained at HBJ, five years ago he was a solicitor in the Banking & Finance team in Edinburgh, and excited by the opportunities becoming part of AG might present.

'5 years ago I never thought I would…'

Be living in the Middle East!

I was very lucky to be given an opportunity to work in the finance team in Dubai in July 2018, after having spent five or so years working in the Scottish offices (three years as a trainee/Associate at HBJ (as the firm was then) and then a couple more years post-merger with AG.

I remember the buzz in the Edinburgh office when the merger was announced. The excitement about tying up with a brand such as AG and the opportunities it would create (for the firms themselves and for the individuals involved) was palpable. Fast forward five years and the excitement was clearly justified, the merger having been a huge success on a number of levels with the firm going from strength to strength in Scotland.  

I look back fondly on my time in Scotland and keep an eye on what is happening there. From a personal perspective, it's nice to see my old team led by Alan Shanks doing so well – winning significant mandates, servicing corporate Scotland and producing high-quality lawyers. 

It's certainly no coincidence that a number of AG Scotland alumni have moved into AG's international network (with myself, Antonia Grieve-Yates, Ben Thomas and most recently Mhairi Cruickshank now calling Dubai our home). We also seem to encounter a disproportionate amount of our Scottish trainees in the Middle East, something to do with the weather perhaps? 

I believe that there is a great grounding achieved by starting our career with AG in Scotland and then using the skills and experience required to propel yourself into other parts of AG's business. I hope to see this trend continue as AG's international network expands.