Balfour+Manson LLP > Edinburgh, Scotland > Firm Profile

‘The team are very helpful. You get a very personalised service. Everyone is very professional. The calibre of staff is just phenomenal from the receptionist to the lawyers. Everyone is always happy to help. No question is too small.’

‘Ann Logan is just amazing. She is very professional and empathetic. She takes time to listen. Always on hand to talk to and you can ask her anything.’

‘Ann Logan is just so nice. Her personality really shines through.’

‘Michaela Guthrie is very professional.’

‘Balfour & Manson are one of the premiere medical negligence: pursuer firms in Scotland. They are certainly one of the top firms in this area and I would recommend them to any client.’

‘Ann Logan is a hugely experienced and able lawyer. She’s a very well known figure in medical negligence litigation in Scotland.’

‘Michaela Guthrie is functioning very comfortably at partner level. She seems, as far as I can tell, to handle cases that would be handled by partners at other firms and does so with skill and sensitivity. I have no doubt that she’ll be a partner one day, probably soon.’

‘This is a very expert team lead by a partner with a wealth of experience. They are all very hard working, great at communicating with clients and excellent lawyers. I think without exception, this is a very sympathetic team who are very client friendly.’

‘Expertise, dedication, modernity and a determination to help pursuers through traumatic times by providing excellent legal services.’

‘David McIntosh – diligent, dedicated and vastly experienced. Able to work under pressure. Has the respect of his peers, counsel and the bench. A truly exceptional practitioner.’

‘Small team but punching above its weight. Strong client communication skills.’

‘David McIntosh: extremely well-organised, very approachable and excellent client communication skills.’

‘They are a very experienced and able team of litigators with an excellent reputation in the profession who always deliver first class results for their clients. They are regarded as among the best in their field.’

‘David McIntosh is a star individual. He us a very experienced and well regarded PI expert solicitor who has excellent people skills. He is excellent with clients and when dealing with opponents and always prepares cases to the highest standard.’

‘The team is headed up by David Short who is head of litigation. David is a very experienced and effective litigator but also approachable and good to work with.’

‘David Short is a fantastic lawyer and great with clients. He is approachable, proactive and well respected in his field. He is not phased by difficult opponents and simply focuses on getting the best result for his client. Exceptionally well organised and hugely committed to client care.’

‘Shona Smith has been outstanding in her advice and has taken me step by step through the process, dealing with each matter at a time.’

‘Shona Smith is an exceptionally calm person, which has helped alleviate a lot of the stress that I have felt.’

‘Shona Smith ensures a rare balance between excellent legal knowledge; knowledge of the case and understanding of the court system and alternate options available, as well as understanding of her client and their family circumstances.’

‘Shona Smith listens to clients in order to understand them and their circumstances; therefore giving the best advice from her excellent knowledge of court-based and mediation options to suit her client.’

‘Lynne Mulcahy is amazing and can’t speak highly enough of her. She is empathetic and really fights your corner.’

‘Lynne Mulcahy is definitely not a solicitor who I would want to be up against in court. At the same time, she is highly professional and doesn’t waste time with being petty or demeaning. she gently advises and guides and gives advice in a kind and personable way, and is highly knowledgeable of the law and the system.’

‘Lynne Mulcahy is eloquent, and is wise in seeing into the pertinent issues of the case and doesn’t leave out the small relevant details.’

‘The professionalism of the team is so clear and apparent, even from the very first consultation. You get the feeling at every stage that the clients views are paramount and with the obvious experience of the family law team, you feel that you are in the best possible hands which is massively reassuring.’

‘Excellent client relationship and knowledge of the charity sector’

‘Alan Gilfillan (Partner) provides a speedy and accurate service using understandable language!’

‘The firm does not have the largest not for profit practice in Edinburgh but they offer a combination of knowledge, good client service and value for money. Importantly, they do not try to create issues where none exist.’

‘I find Alan Gilfillan to be approachable, pragmatic and knowledgeable’

‘Thoroughly knowledgeable about the subject, quick to reply, giving reasoned advice with pros and cons.’

‘Karen Phillips is great with clients, breaks down everything in simple English; communication is good and costs are reasonable.’

‘Karen Phillips is the primary point of contact. Nothing is ever a problem. She takes all in her stride . First-class client care . Good legal mind but very approachable.’

‘The care and empathy shown to clients by Karen Phillips and Shona Brown is clear to see. Dealing with clients and family groups in often difficult long-term situations, the team at Balfour and Manson are diligent and their experience in dealing with Personal Injury Trusts is unrivalled.’

‘Karen Phillips is more than a trusted adviser to her clients and their families, she is part of their lives and provides reassurance and peace of mind whilst not being afraid to have the difficult conversations when required.’

‘Shona Brown works tirelessly for her clients and it is clear their best interests lie at the heart of everything she does. She is dependable and a trusted adviser providing clear advice in simple terms.’

‘Very professional practice, well informed and give clear explanations on complex matters.’

‘They are very reasonably priced given the exceptional service they offer. They routinely go above and beyond for clients and we have absolutely no hesitation in recommending the firm to any of our clients.’

‘Balfour and Manson are responsive, professional and go above and beyond to assist in all matters. their professionalism and competence is second to none in this area.’

‘Sindi Mules is in my view the most skilled solicitor in this area. Her professionalism, knowledge, efficiency and approach are consistently outstanding. I would not consider instructing another agent in this area. Sindis communication skills make working with her very straightforward and I know I can always rely upon her to get any task done expeditiously and competently.’

‘Elaine Motion is the stand out partner for cutting edge public law and constitutional law work. She is always two steps ahead of both counsel and her opponent solicitors in any litigation. She has also created a fantastic team of solicitors who have been trained to her almost impossibly high standards. Among the standouts are her fellow litigation partner Sindi Mules, as well as the relatively recently qualified assistant Lauren Smith and Findlay Glynn.’

‘Elaine Motion is a star individual in this area. Her tenacity is appreciated by clients in difficult cases.’

‘BM has, undoubtedly, the strongest and most experienced petitioner practice in Scotland. They are involved in every high profile judicial review that takes place and have been responsible for big changes in the law and for cases such as the Article 50 (Wightman) case and the prorogation of parliament (Cherry) case. They are – without doubt – the best in the business when it comes to this area of the law.’

‘Elaine Motion and Sindi Mules are simply at the top of the game. They are pretty much unrivalled in their ability and their experience. They give realistic and pragmatic advice in a way that clients understand and appreciate. Whilst still quite junior in the team, Lauren Smith is excellent. She is bright, enthusiastic, dedicated and un-phased by having to bring big challenges against the Government which is what this area of the law depends upon.’

‘This practice is a stand out leader in Scotland for parliamentary and public affairs. I have personally worked with Elaine Motion for a long time – most recently on a successful Judicial review against the Scottish Government for the milk industry association. Her grasp of the law, the likely response of particular members of the judiciary, the politics and the media are execptional. They are extremely well organised and ran the technical and court sides of the work to a high standard.‘

‘The team’s strengths include vast and varied experience of all aspects of employment law and tenacity.’

‘Balfour and Manson are a very professional organisation with a personal touch. The really understood my needs when dealing with them.’

‘Balfour & Manson as a whole, have defended my interests over a very long period of time. They have always be totally accessible to me and quick to respond to my enquiries.’

‘The team are highly trained and have an ethos that places client care at the core of their work. Combine that with very experienced and capable lawyers and that is a winning combination for their clients.’

‘You can depend upon Robert Holland and his team to tenaciously fight for your case “all the way” towards achieving a good outcome.’

‘Robert Holland gave me support and treated me with kindness and compassion throughout my very difficult journey ‘fighting’ my ex-employers who had discriminated against me and bullied me for years. He was successful in achieving the outcome I was looking for and in our opinion was fully deserved.’

‘Sarah Shiels is a fierce and determined advocate for her clients. Sarah has honed her skills and abilities as an employment lawyer by representing clients successfully at both employment tribunals throughout Scotland and at employment appeal tribunal level.’

‘I have worked with Sarah Shiels a partner in the employment team and she is excellent – the firm is well known and respected trade union firm with a loyal following.’