Shoosmiths and Clarke Willmott step in to acquire Challinors assets as law firm folds
LAW firms Shoosmiths and Clarke Willmott have stepped in to buy some of the assets of failed rival Challinors.
But administrators from RSM Tenon have been unable to save the firm in its entirety and say Challinors has now folded with the loss of 46 jobs.
Challinors went into administration at the end of last month with debts estimated to be around £11m. Earlier this week it sold its personal injury files to Liverpool-based rival SGI Legal.
Clarke Willmott has acquired elements of the firm’s Private Client and Commercial Litigation teams, while Shoosmiths has strengthened its medical negligence team with eight new appointments. The lateral hires, led by Richard Bannister, have all joined from Challinors.
Clarke Willmott said the new files would be serviced from its Edmund Street offices in Birmingham with 10 former Challinors employees moving across to join Clarke Willmott’s existing teams with immediate effect.
Clarke Willmott has one of the UK’s largest litigation teams and a strong private client offering. It said there were synergies between the firm’s wider national service offering and the services offered by the members of the Challinors’ team. The move is expected to bolster Clarke Willmott’s services to its Midlands based clients.
Stephen Rosser, Chief Executive at Clarke Willmott, said: “Growing our Birmingham offering is part of our three year strategy. Our main priority is to ensure a seamless transition for Challinors’ clients and we will be working with the administrators and Challinors’ Partners in order to achieve this.”
The new recruits to Shoosmiths supplement the firm’s Access Legal operation, its private client offering.
Partner and head of private client Richard Follis said: “This is an important and very experienced team, and their joining demonstrates Shoosmiths’ commitment to this challenging and highly specialist field of work.
“Already we have five medical negligence partners with more than 110 years’ experience between them. There is no substitute for experience in this work and this addition to our team adds breadth and depth to our national offering.”
Bannister has acted successfully in a variety of clinical negligence claims in complex issues that includes obstetric, oncology, orthopaedic, neurosurgery, GP liability and general surgery.
Challinors had employed around 200 staff at its seven regional offices.
Ironically the firm’s administration is being handled by RSM Tenon, which itself lapsed into administration yesterday before being snapped up in a pre-pack deal by Baker Tilly.
