Merger sees Edinburgh law firm double property team

Edinburgh law firm Gibson Kerr has announced a second merger in three months as it further underlines its intentions within the residential and commercial property service in the capital.

The union with Edinburgh-based Grange Solicitors & Estate Agents – following a successful merger with Marwicks in September – has seen Gibson Kerr more than double the size of its property team in a year.

The merger will see Grange Solicitors & Estate Agents move into the Dundas Street location, previously belonging to Marwicks, which is now the main location for Gibson Kerr’s property team

Grange’s principal, Gregor Mair, will continue in the merged firm as a consultant solicitor and will be joined in the Dundas Street office by Scott Rasmusen, Partner and head of property at Gibson Kerr, and Mike Marwick, consultant solicitor, the former principal at Marwicks.

The arrival of Gregor Mair – who has also provided commercial property experience for more than 30 years – gives the firm more expertise in services such as leases and conveyancing of shops, restaurants and offices.

Scott Rasmusen said: “After the success of the initial merger with Marwicks, we had been looking to continue to grow our property department.

“Grange Solicitors & Estate Agents and Gibson Kerr are the perfect fit. We share a similar ethos, and a desire to provide excellent service to clients. With more than 30 years’ experience in the commercial and residential property sector, Gregor will be a real asset to the team while the additional range of services and support on offer at Gibson Kerr will be highly attractive to Grange’s client base.

“We have ambitious plans to develop our property service in 2017. The expertise of our growing team plus a prime city centre shop front location in Dundas Street will allow us to create what we think will be a new force in residential property.”

Gregor Mair, who operated Grange Solicitors & Estate Agents mainly from premises in Haymarket, said: “With the capital’s property sector continuing its positive trend, I am excited to bring my expertise to Gibson Kerr with the aim of helping the business to capitalise on the opportunities for growth in the commercial and residential property markets.

“Gibson Kerr is a like-minded firm which understands the value of delivering a high level of personal and expert service to clients.

“With 90% of the Grange business coming from referrals and existing client connections, it was important for me to join a group of approachable and dedicated professionals who share my thinking on how a legal firm should operate.”

The mergers have allowed Gibson Kerr to increase its property team to seven. The merger will provide Grange Solicitors & Estate Agents’ personal and business clients with full legal services for the first time, including commercial property, family law work including separation and divorce and wills, powers of attorney, executries and financial and tax planning.

Gibson Kerr, moved to its current base at India Street in 1990, although the business originally dates back to the 1940s. It was acquired by Scott and Fiona Rasmusen in 2005. The firm specialises in Personal Law, Family Law and Property.

Partner Fiona Rasmusen is head of family law, Partner Lindsay Maclean is head of personal law with the property team headed by Scott Rasmusen.

Grange Solicitors & Estate Agents was established by Gregor Mair in 2010.

Gregor has more than 30 years of experience in a wide variety of commercial property and commercial leasing work, and is experienced in all aspects of residential property work and conveyancing.’