Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Your Trusted Solicitors in Stranraer
Established in Stranraer over a century ago, our firm has built an enduring reputation for delivering expert legal counsel to local clients. With continuous service since 1917, we combine deep-rooted community knowledge with professional excellence across property transactions, agricultural law, family matters, and estate planning. Our principal solicitor, Kenneth G. Paterson, brings decades of experience supported by trainee David W. Paterson, ensuring high-quality legal representation tailored to individual client needs.We maintain transparency in operations while prioritising clear communication and ethical standards. Our estate agency focus complements our legal services, offering integrated solutions for property-related matters. Through generations, we have upheld commitments to reliability and client satisfaction, adapting to modern legal challenges while preserving traditional values of trust and accountability.
Services
Property Sales
Commercial Property
Agricultural Law
Matrimonial Law
Wills & Executries
Details
- Year established: 1917
Highlights and features
- We offer over 100 years of continuous legal expertise in Stranraer
- Our solicitors hold formal legal qualifications and local knowledge
- We provide integrated property and legal services
- Our practice maintains transparent operations with no hidden fees
- We specialise in complex areas including agricultural law and executries
Services
Property Sales
We handle residential and commercial property transactions with expertise developed over a century of local practice. Our solicitors ensure legally sound processes for buyers and sellers, addressing title issues, contracts, and completion formalities. Clients benefit from our combined legal and estate agency experience in Wigtownshire's property market.
Agricultural Law
Specialist legal advice for agricultural matters including land transfers, tenancy agreements, and rural business structures. Our solicitors understand Scotland's unique agricultural regulations and provide practical solutions for landowners and farming enterprises across Dumfries & Galloway.
Matrimonial Law
Compassionate legal guidance for relationship breakdowns, covering divorce proceedings, financial settlements, and child custody arrangements. We prioritise amicable resolutions while protecting client interests in property division and maintenance matters under Scottish family law.
Wills & Executries
Comprehensive will drafting and estate administration services ensuring client wishes are legally documented. Our solicitors assist with probate applications, inheritance tax planning, and executor responsibilities, providing clear guidance during complex bereavement processes.
Commercial Property
Legal support for commercial property transactions including acquisitions, leases, and development projects. We advise businesses on property-related legal obligations, contract negotiations, and compliance matters specific to commercial real estate in south-west Scotland.
People
Kenneth G. Paterson
Principal Solicitor
Qualified solicitor with decades of experience in Scottish property and family law. Specialises in complex property transactions and agricultural law matters. Maintains strong local connections in Wigtownshire's legal community.
David W. Paterson
Trainee Solicitor
Trainee solicitor with formal legal qualifications in land law and property transactions. Supports clients with property sales, will drafting, and family law matters under senior supervision.
Questions
What legal services do you specialise in?
We specialise in property law, agricultural law, family law, and estate planning. Our practice focuses on property transactions and legal matters affecting local residents in south-west Scotland.
Are you regulated by the Law Society of Scotland?
Yes, as practicing solicitors we adhere to the professional standards and regulations set by the Law Society of Scotland.
Do you offer home visits for legal matters?
We can arrange home visits for clients requiring assistance with wills, executries, or other legal matters upon request.
Can you handle property transactions outside Wigtownshire?
While our primary focus is Wigtownshire, we can assist with property transactions across Scotland through our established legal networks.
Reviews (1)
Vic Paterson
Dec 13, 2021
Report
We used Rankin & Aitken for a property purchase that involved:
A very unpleasant vendor's estate agent
A difficult mortgage provider / mortgage providers solicitor
An unusual property
And an anxious buyer (that would be me!)
We dealt primarily with Mr Laburn and Ms Benniwith and they were both absolutely incredible, despite there being all kinds of obstacles thrown in their way by the above parties and property. There is no doubt in my mind that by the end of it, Mr Laburn was delighted that I would no longer be cluttering up his email, but he was absolutely wonderful, polite and helpful at
A very unpleasant vendor's estate agent
A difficult mortgage provider / mortgage providers solicitor
An unusual property
And an anxious buyer (that would be me!)
We dealt primarily with Mr Laburn and Ms Benniwith and they were both absolutely incredible, despite there being all kinds of obstacles thrown in their way by the above parties and property. There is no doubt in my mind that by the end of it, Mr Laburn was delighted that I would no longer be cluttering up his email, but he was absolutely wonderful, polite and helpful at
