Balfour + Manson

Lawyers 44
Turnover £9 million
Offices 2

Balfour + Manson has been busy over the past year. Elaine Motion, the chairwoman, represented Canon Tom White of St Alphonsus Church in Glasgow in a successful challenge to the Scottish government’s Covid-19 regulations, which closed churches for congregational worship and private prayer. The court ruled that the regulations interfered with the right to religious freedom, thus breaching the human rights of the petitioners and others as well as their constitutional rights.

The head of litigation, David Short, settled a complex litigation against Airbus Helicopters over a crash that killed 13 oil workers. The case was litigated in France. As lead negotiator, he achieved a multimillion-pound settlement for families of the victims.

Ann Logan, a partner, acted for a client who sustained a severe brain injury leading to cerebral palsy after staff failed to monitor her mother during labour. The client requires round-the-clock care and help with all aspects of life. The firm secured more than £10 million in damages and annual payments for care costs, meaning that the client can purchase an adapted house and ensure that she has support throughout her lifetime.