Blair is ploughing new legal furrow Lawyer Mike Blair is leaving Thorntons" Perth office and taking his expertise in matters rural to rival Gillespie Macandrew. One of just four solicitors in Scotland rated in the top "band one" tier of agricultural and rural affairs lawyers by Chambers UK, Blair has worked with law firms in Arbroath, Edinburgh, Forfar and Perth, after serving in the army for a time. Gillespie Macandrew managing partner Ian Turnbull said the appointment was "a watershed" for the firm. Turnbull said: "Bringing Mike on board to join the team led by Robert Scott-Dempster, also rated band one, adds significant experience to an already highly qualified and knowledgeable department. With the opening of our Perth office scheduled for early August, on-going investment in our land and rural business service continues to be a major objective for the firm. Thorntons plants seeds for growth Not to be outdone, Thorntons has hired two experienced solicitors to strengthen its Perth-based land and rural team following Blair's departure. Richard Blake, who has been an adviser to the rural sector for more than 30 years, takes on the role of business consultant and will support the team on matters of law and practice. He is a legal advisor to Scottish Land & Estates, the membership organisation working for landowners, and a member of the Tenant Farming Forum. Joining Blake is new associate Gail Clarke, who moved from Edinburgh firm Anderson Strathern. Clarke is a specialist in renewable energy and will be dividing her time between the team's base in Perth and Edinburgh, to allow her to serve the firm's clients in and around the capital. She said: "The experience within the team is considerable and I hope to add to it with my skills and expertise, particularly in renewable energy projects such as wind, hydro and biomass." HSBC is banking on rural expertise HSBC has also turned its attention to matters rural, adding a senior agriculture manager as the global banking giant develops its reach across Scotland. David Rhind joins the group's one-year-old Scottish agriculture division from Bank of Scotland, where he was agriculture business manager. In his new role, he will be responsible for developing HSBC's profile with farming and agriculture businesses in the Borders, Fife and throughout the Lothians. The development of the agriculture specialism is part of HSBC's expansion plans in Scotland, which has seen four branches open in the past year and total lending to businesses north of the Border pass the £1 billion mark.