Balfour+Manson expands in Aberdeen with local merger

Legal firm Balfour+Manson has expanded its Aberdeen presence by combining with private client firm Duthie Ward.

From 30 June, the Edinburgh headquartered firm's Aberdeen staff will move from their Albyn Place location to Duthie Ward's offices in Carden Place.

Duthie Ward's partners, Alastair Duthie and Richard Ward, will join Balfour+Manson as consultants. Their staff members will also join the merged firm, taking its head count in Aberdeen to 16 out of a total of 136 across the firm.

Elaine Motion, executive chairman of Balfour+Manson, said: "We are delighted to have the Duthie Ward team on board. 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."

In a statement, Alastair Duthie and Richard Ward commented: "We hope to be able to offer an even better, broader service with the support of a wider team of excellent lawyers from Balfour+Manson."

In another acquisition, Iain Nicol, who ran litigation practice Compensation Lawyers (Scotland) Ltd in Livingston, has also joined Balfour+Manson as a partner, along with his secretary June Paton. Mr Nicol is an accredited specialist in both personal injury and professional negligence law, with 25 years' experience in practice.