LAW firm Aberdein Considine has made a further push into the central belt after completing a merger deal with Muirhead Buchanan.

That will see all 10 staff at the Stirling firm transfer over including its two partners, Philip Anderson and Anthony Quin.

The Muirhead Buchanan brand and its office on Allan Park are being retained, at least on an initial basis.

Jacqueline Law, managing partner at Aberdein Considine, said: "We are delighted to be able to strengthen our national coverage with the addition of Muirhead Buchanan. Traditionally, we have expanded through organic growth, but joining forces with a well-known firm allows us to hit the ground running in Stirling.

"This is an exciting move for the firm and we believe that we can bring something unique in our offering to the area."

It means the enlarged firm now has premises in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Stirling and West Lothian as well as a number of offices across its traditional heartlands in the north east of Scotland. It is understood to be the first merger Aberdein Considine has done since 1988.

Muirhead Buchanan includes conveyancing, trust and executry, family law and general civil court work among its service lines.

Aberdein Considine said it will now also start offering estate agency and financial services through the Stirling base.

Mr Anderson expressed his delight at the agreement and said: "This merger allows us to offer an increased range of legal services to our clients, with added degrees of specialism, but at a local level."

It means Aberdein Considine, which was founded in Aberdeen in 1981, now has 34 partners and associates with staff numbers of more than 350.

Ms Law became managing partner earlier this month when Harvey Aberdein, co-founder of the firm, decided to step back from the day-to-day running of the business, although he remains with the firm as a consultant.