Award-winning firm to open new office in Kirkcaldy

At the launch of Boyd Legal's new premises in Kirkcaldy are Kelly Matthews, Peter Aitken and Angela Shaw (Pic: Lifetime Photography)

The firm has moved into showpiece offices at 1 Townsend Place in Kirkcaldy as a move to develop its presence in Fife, especially for private client legal services.

To mark the opening, the award-winning firm is to offer clients across the Kingdom a free will review session – saving potentially hundreds of pounds on advice on issues such as updating financial affairs or estate planning.

Peter Boyd, managing director, said the new Kirkcaldy base will allow the firm to offer an alternative service that has personal service, clear language and easy access at its heart.

He said: “We are a family firm with a family-run ethos.

“That means we are big enough to offer high quality levels of expertise that smaller legal practices in Fife may find difficult to provide, yet we can be accessible and approachable at all times.

“Fundamentally we aim to deliver personal service and affordable fees – and to be centrally located in Fife where people can find us or we can get easily to them. One of our commitments is to be mobile and to offer home visits as a standard service.

“We will be encouraging clients to be more proactive in reviewing their affairs, such as a ‘New for Old’ Wills service or ensuring they are considering all options for later life care such as equity release or asset protection.”

The office officially opened at a charity fundraising event on Friday.

Boyd Legal, a full service practice headquartered in Edinburgh, had previously acquired Kirkcaldy-based Gibson & Spears, Dow & Son and was operating from their East Fergus Place office. The firm also has offices in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness.

Peter Aitken, former proprietor of Gibson & Spears, Dow & Son, will continue to be the main principal but the Kirkcaldy team will augmented with the appointment of experienced corporate/commercial solicitor Kelly Matthews.

The new business will offer commercial, corporate, wills and estates, later life and family legal services with full back-up services from Boyd Legal’s HQ in Edinburgh.

The firms of Gibson & Spears, Dow & Son have operated in the Fife community for more than 100 years and over this period a number of its partners have served the people of Fife as Provost of Kirkcaldy and as Town Clerks of Dysart and Kinghorn.

Peter Aitken, who has been a respected figure in Fife legal and civic circles for a considerable number of years, said: “While I have worked in the legal sector in the Kingdom all my life, the expansion of Boyd Legal is a really exciting time for me – and I believe anyone who requires a legal service in Fife.”

Kelly Matthews graduated from Edinburgh University and her early career in corporate and commercial work was with Dundee-based Blackadders.

She had a short spell with Thorntons’ Corporate team in St Andrews, advising high growth and technology clients before joining the Commercial Team at Russel & Aitken in Falkirk.

Kelly’s specialty is in assisting entrepreneurs and company boards on all manner of commercial matters; from securing equity investment or conducting due diligence on a business, through to helping them review critical contracts with suppliers or customers or handling shareholder disputes.

Peter chairs Largo Area Community Council, and is a former chairman of East Neuk of Fife Preservation Society. He provides volunteer solicitor services to both the Victoria Hospice in Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline’s Queen Margaret Hospice.