Balfour and Manson’s Alan Gilfillan recognised for charity law expertise

Alan Gilfillan

Mr Gilfillan, who became a partner with Balfour and Manson last year, has been accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in charity law. 

Mr Gilfillan qualified in 2010, joined Balfour and Manson as an associate in 2014 and was appointed partner in April 2017. 

During the early part of his career, he was seconded to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) for six months, where he worked as an in-house legal adviser. 

Elaine Motion, executive chairman of Balfour and Manson, said: “This is a great honour for Alan, who works tirelessly and skilfully with charities of all shapes and sizes, and for the firm. He is the youngest accredited specialist in his field in Scotland by some distance and has built up significant experience and expertise in a relatively short time.” 

Mr Gilfillan is regularly instructed to prepare charity reorganisation schemes, which can allow existing charities to modernise their constitutions and even change their legal form. He has also established a number of new charities and assists charity trustees who are subject to regulatory inquiries. 

He said: “I’m delighted with my accreditation. My secondment to OSCR provided great insight to the regulator’s approach and I feel I am well-placed to assist charities, as well as those who seek charitable status, in Scotland. I have a background in commercial law, so I am equally happy advising charity trustees in relation to contractual matters and joint ventures.”