Further Dundee and Angus Growth with Takeover

Gilson Gray expands in Dundee and Angus with takeover of local law firm.

Full-service legal firm Gilson Gray is bolstering its footprint in Dundee and Angus, following the takeover of Bowmans Solicitors.

The Firm will also now double its space at 2 West Marketgait in the city centre, taking on another floor of the flagship building, as well as gaining an additional office in Forfar. A team of 11, including Principal Elizabeth McGillivray, will join Gilson Gray.

Bowmans Solicitors has a long history with roots dating back 150 years in the Tayside area. Elizabeth joined the firm in the 1980s and brings over 40 years of experience into the Gilson Gray fold.

The move builds on the firm’s full-service offering, bringing in additional specialists in private client, estate agency, conveyancing, and family law.

Gilson Gray first moved into Dundee in 2020 and has since experienced significant growth. In 2021, it took over Baillie Shepherd, and in 2023 the firm’s financial management arm – Gilson Gray Financial Management – acquired Wilson Financial and RS Robertson Financial Planning.

Headcount in Dundee has more than doubled in the past two years, and the firm has ambitious plans for developing further in the region. With offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, East Lothian, Aberdeen, Lincoln, and now Angus, Gilson Gray is one of the fastest-growing law firms in the UK.

Lindsay Darroch, Partner and Head of Gilson Gray’s Dundee office, said: “Bowmans is a long-established reputable firm and I have known Elizabeth for around three decades. The takeover is a natural fit and we both share similar values in terms of delivering top-quality legal advice and serving clients in the local area.

“The rate of growth has once again exceeded our expectations and we have leased an additional floor at our city centre offices to accommodate the larger team with room for further development. The new office in Forfar also ties in with our strategy for business development. While other firms are retreating from the market and clients, we see it as a huge opportunity for the firm to further develop in Angus complementing our city centre offerings.”

Glen Gilson, Chair and Managing Partner of Gilson Gray, added: “The takeover of Bowmans in Dundee marks the start of another year of our planned growth. Since launching in 2014 Gilson Gray has built a reputation for disruption in the legal sector and we are now one of the few independent Scottish firms of scale left in the market.”

Elizabeth McGillivray said: “Joining Gilson Gray is only the start of the next chapter for Bowmans after 150 years as a legal firm. It is a great opportunity for my team and our clients, who now gain access to a access to a full suite of legal expertise across the country to support and enhance the quality and standard of service we are known for.”

Established in 2014, Gilson Gray has become one of Scotland’s most-acquisitive law, property, and finance firms, boasting one of the widest service ranges in Scotland, and a growing service offering across the UK. The firm is multi-award having recently been named Law Firm of the Year, Corporate Firm of the Year, and Litigation Firm of the Year, among other accolades. The firm now has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, East Lothian, Dundee, Aberdeen and Lincoln, each of which allows clients access to Gilson Gray’s full range of property, legal and financial services.