Mr Farquhar joined Thorntons in 2005 following the firm’s merger with Scott & Soutar.

He graduated from Aberdeen University with an LLB and apprenticed at law firm in the city before moving to Dundee in 1979.

At Thorntons he sepcialised in wills and trusts.

His wife, Ruth, said: “He was a very friendly person, very calm but felt strongly about some things.

“He believed people should be treated fairly and was keen to welcome people and be inclusive.

“His desire for honesty and fairness inspired him to become a solicitor.”

She also spoke of how the family spent every Christmas putting on a dinner at Fintry Church for students from around the world for the charity Friends International.

She said: “He was involved with Fintry Church for 40 years.

“He helped with a club for teenagers called Breakthrough and led Sunday school, as well as spending decades organising Christmas dinners for Friends International in Fintry Church and St Peter’s Church.

“We would have Christmas with about 90 other people. We would have Boxing Day to celebrate as a family.”

Colin Graham, chairman of Thorntons Law, said: “Malcolm was a hugely talented, analytical and industrious lawyer.

“Alongside that, he had a puckish sense of humour and also a smile that could light up a room.

“He was, genuinely, one of life’s nice people who gave to others of his time and was always happy to share his vast legal knowledge with less experienced colleagues

“He will be missed by his friends and colleagues at Thorntons and the great many clients he advised in the course of his career, and his peers.”