Law firm Balfour & Manson expands with Aberdeen tie-up

Balfour & Manson is expanding its presence in Aberdeen by joining forces with private client law firm Duthie Ward.

Alastair Duthie, left, and Richard Ward will join Balfour & Manson as consultants. Picture: Contributed

The practice, founded in 1888, will leave its current base on Albyn Place in the Granite City and move its staff into Duthie Ward’s offices on nearby Carden Place following the formal tie-up at the end of next month.

Duthie Ward partners Alastair Duthie and Richard Ward will join Balfour & Manson as consultants. Their staff members will also move across, taking the expanded firm’s headcount in Aberdeen to 16.

In a joint statement, Duthie and Ward said: “We are delighted to join Balfour & Manson and to be able to continue offering a great service to our clients in Aberdeen. Indeed, we hope to be able to offer an even better, broader service with the support of a wider team of excellent lawyers.”

Elaine Motion, executive chairman of Balfour & Manson, which also has an office in Edinburgh employing about 120 people, said: “Alastair and Richard are both very well-known and well-respected lawyers in Aberdeen with deep roots in the city.

“Their expertise in private client and family law work will add even more to our expanding range of services for customers in Aberdeen. And the office in Carden Place is perfect for us, right in the heart of the city’s business area. This continues our strategy to grow and develop our Aberdeen office.”

The office will grow further next week with the arrival of family lawyer Kirsten Lobban and employment lawyer Jenna Redpath. Meanwhile, Balfour & Manson’s Edinburgh base has added Iain Nicol – who previously ran a litigation practice in Livingston – as a partner, along with his secretary June Paton.