Tributes have been paid to Ian Balfour, a scion of the Edinburgh law firm Balfour + Manson, who has died aged 89.
His grandfather cofounded the firm in 1887 and he remained active after retiring as senior partner in 1998 and, until late last year, was working as joint auditor for Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Balfour was born in Edinburgh in 1932. He started his education at Edinburgh Academy in 1938, but was evacuated during the war to Hamilton, Ontario, with his mother and his brother William where they lived with family.
On his return, Balfour completed his education at Edinburgh Academy. He went on to Edinburgh University, graduating with an MA in 1953 and LLB in 1955. In those days, an apprenticeship was served alongside obtaining a law degree, so he began training in Balfour+Manson in 1952 - during the last year of his MA - qualifying as a lawyer in 1955, becoming a partner in 1958.
Balfour then spent over 40 years in general legal practice before his retirement in 1997, although he remained a counsel to those in the firm well into his eighties.
Elaine Motion, chair of Balfour + Manson, paid tribute: "Through both his professional and social life he was a great friend to so many and on a personal level, I will always appreciate the opportunity and guidance Ian offered me.
"He was a quiet man of real stature and gravitas whose talents extended well beyond the law-one example being his historical narrative about the firm and those who have passed through it over the decades.
"Everyone connected with Balfour + Manson will continue to honour this fine man by continuing the legacy that he and his family brought to legal practice in Edinburgh."
As manager, Balfour streamlined many aspects of Balfour+Manson’s business, up-skilling staff to carry out new roles interfacing with clients, and organising the firm into specialisations.
To that end he became the full-time Court of Session practitioner in the court department.
One key innovation was to engage four apprentices each year, and later trainees when the training system changed.
His managerial vision even extended to the introduction of computers in 1983 - early for a legal firm.
A man of devout faith, Balfour had considered becoming a lay preacher and studied for a Degree in Divinity from the University of London, graduating in 1959. He was a member of Charlotte Baptist Chapel in Rose Street, Edinburgh from 1963 where he later became Secretary to the Chapel, retiring from the role in 2000.
Balfour accepted an invitation to be president of the Baptist Union of Scotland for the year 1977-78. This again stimulated his academic interest in theology, and he attended New College Edinburgh where he obtained a PhD in Theology in 1980, after studying the life of one of the Christian Church’s fathers, Tertullian, who was a Roman convert to Christianity.
He was also appointed a Fiscal to the Royal College of Nursing, which dealt with nursing discipline, as well as being appointed Fiscal to the Law Society of Scotland on disciplinary matters. He was also secretary to the SSC Society and a tribunal chairman for Child Support.
Balfour is survived by his wife of 64 years, Joyce Pryde, and their four children - a daughter and three sons - 10 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
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