Balfour+Manson has appointed Graeme Thomson as head of private client and as part of a refreshed senior team.

Mr Thomson (pictured) qualified as a solicitor in 2003 and moved to Balfour+Manson in 2018 after heading up the private client team at a small family-run law firm.

He has been a private client partner at the firm since January 2021 and was recently awarded a first-class mathematics degree from the Open University. He replaces Shona Brown, who will continue to work in the private client team as a partner.

Amy McKay has risen to senior associate in the private client team.

Elaine Motion, executive chairman of Balfour+Manson, said: “It is vital that we constantly refresh our senior team.”

The appointment follows the recent arrivals of Scott Foster as chief operating officer and Simon Mayberry as head of employment.

Pinsent Masons

Pinsent Masons has promoted four Scotland-based lawyers to its partnership, boosting its sector-focused professional services capabilities.

They are: Susannah Donaldson, the firm’s co-head of its Equality Law group; Stacy Keen, a specialist in financial crime,  investigations and compliance; Ross McDowall and Lesley-Anne Todd, who advises on all aspects of environmental, planning, and property law; Lesley-Anne Todd, who works in commercial real estate; and banking lawyer, Howat Duncan.

The firm has also promoted three senior associates to legal director – Michael Duffy (energy and infrastructure); Jennifer Oliver (projects and construction); and Elaine McLean (EU and Competition).