Law Society to leave Drumsheugh Gardens

Law Society president Alistair Morris and chief executive Lorna Jack said the existing offices at Drumsheugh Gardens were increasingly unfit for purpose and expensive to maintain.

However, the Society has pledged that it will complete the move without making any direct increase in the practising certificate fee.

In a joint statement, Alistair Morris and Lorna Jack wrote: “We have been reviewing our long term office location over the last year. Following that review, it is clear that moving to a new office represents the best decision.

“We looked carefully at reconfiguring our current premises but planning restrictions and the cost of work severely restricted our options.

“We also considered out-of-town locations but we concluded that a central Edinburgh location offers the best overall deal.

“We are now in advanced and still commercially sensitive discussions, both in regards to new premises and the sale of our current offices.

“We expect these negotiations to be complete in time for us to provide a full report to the Annual General Meeting on 28 May 2015.”

The Society had previously considered relocating in 2008, but was dissuaded, according to then-vice president Ian Smart, by “the recent downturn in the property market”.