Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a leading Tayside lawyer within the courtroom where he was a popular, highly respected and larger than life figure.
In a poignant and unprecedented event, Forfar sheriff Gregor Murray led the ceremony in Forfar’s main court one before the start of Thursday summary business following the tragic weekend death of popular solicitor Bob Bruce at the age of 57.
Sheriff Murray, Mr Bruce’s brother, Grant; Bill Kermode of the procurator fiscal’s department and Mike Ferrie, the Dean of the Society of Procurators and Solicitors in Angus all spoke fondly of Mr Bruce to a courtroom packed with colleagues and friends from a wide area.
A lifelong Dundee United fan, Mr Bruce was also previously a keen amateur footballer and a tennis enthusiast, both as a player and a regular visitor to tournaments including Wimbledon.
He was originally a partner in the Dundee firm of Bruce Short Solicitors before leaving the firm to develop the Secure Air Parks airport car parking operation at Edinburgh airport before returning to the law.
In 1996 he opened his own practice, Bruce & Co, initially based in Arbroath and now including a branch in Forfar, which has grown to become one of the busiest criminal law practices in Angus.
Sheriff Murray spoke warmly of a personal and professional friendship with Mr Bruce over 45 years, praising his “humanity and sympathy for his clients.”
He highlighted his entrepreneurial spirit and success through ventures including the airport parking business and the setting up of his niche firm well before the development of the modern legal marketplace.
“He was the heart of the local bar, in or out of court and to hear Bob in full flow was something to behold. On behalf of the bench, we will miss him,” said Sheriff Murray.
Mr Kermode spoke of Mr Bruce’s characteristic of being a people person, his “natural warmth and generosity” and his energy, kindness, loyalty and humour, the court also hearing of his devotion and pride in his daughter.
Mr Ferrie, who worked with Bruce & Co. for a number of years described Mr Bruce’s passing as a “massive loss to the users and staff of this court and the faculty.”
“I can think of few people ever having made such an indelible mark on the business of one particular court,” he said.
“Bob was quite simply the life and soul of the faculty, a gentleman in the truest sense of the word.
“His charisma was such that his clients loved him and identified with him.
“He was a man of inexhaustible energy, ebullience and good humour, affable and compassionate. The feeling of loss is incalculable for a true friend and a genuinely decent human being,” said Mr Ferrie.