The independently owned and operated Scottish law firm joins Sanctuary’s legal panel following a competitive process.

It was appointed to Lot 7 – Corporate (Scotland), which covers a wide range of legal services including banking, finance, regulatory knowledge and compliance, dispute resolution, employment and corporate law.

Chris Allan, head of corporate at Thorntons, said: “We are very proud to have been selected for Sanctuary’s legal panel. It is testament to the deep expertise we have developed in social housing, and the high-quality services for which we are renowned as a firm.

“We look forward to supporting Sanctuary with its legal requirements and ensuring that it continues to provide much-needed affordable housing to tenants amid Scotland’s recently declared housing emergency.”

Sanctuary is one of the UK’s largest providers of housing and care with around 125,000 units of accommodation across Scotland and England.

Jo Hodgetts, Sanctuary’s head of legal services, said: “Our mission is to deliver affordable homes and sustainable communities where people choose to live. To support us in delivering on that social purpose, it’s essential our values are also reflected in the partners we work with.”

Thorntons, which operates across 14 offices in Scotland, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, has a dedicated social housing team which acts for registered social landlords across the country and is appointed to several major frameworks. The firm has been working with social housing providers for more than 50 years.