A Brief History of the Firm
Although Tods Murray can trace its antecedents back to the middle of the 18th century, the present firm was established in 1856 (under the name Tods Murray & Jamieson") when Andrew Jamieson S.S.C. entered into partnership with John Tod W.S., his son John Robert Tod W.S. (hence the name “Tods”) and Thomas Graham Murray W.S. (married to John Tod’s daughter Caroline), the firm taking up residence that year at 66 Queen Street, Edinburgh.
The firm can trace itself back to the middle of the 18th century Our records show that Andrew Jamieson was no longer a partner of the firm in 1872 and his reasons for leaving seem something of a mystery. It is unlikely that he was ousted by the Tod dynasty as by that year their power had been diluted by new partners from outwith the Tod circle. It could be that the rivalry between Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet and Solicitors in the Supreme Courts was taken more seriously in those days, Andrew Jamieson being the minority S.S.C. partner. It is often wrongly supposed that the “Jamieson” involved was Andrew’s more illustrious partner and namesake (but no relation), James Auldjo Jamieson, who dominated the firm in the 1890’s and whose stern aquiline features can be viewed in a portrait still in the ownership of the present day firm.
Fast forwarding to more recent history, records show the firm continued to grow and by 1989 there were 18 partners and over 90 staff working in Queen Street and in 1999 the firm expanded to have an office in Glasgow, opening with a total complement of 12 people, but now several times that size. In January 2005 the Queen Street offices were left behind, in favour of our current award winning modern office at Edinburgh Quay. There we are located in the top five floors of office space with stunning views of the Edinburgh skyline and enjoy the latest IT and other facilities as part and parcel of our daily working environment.