Solicitors sells off department as it expects to secure record results

PERSONAL injury and medical negligence specialists Neil Hudgell Solicitors has sold off its industrial disease department, as it prepares for a record year of results.

Yorkshire’s Neil Hudgell has sold it to Mansfield and London-based OH Parsons.

Both firms say the move will help their businesses focus on their own specific key areas for growth.

Neil Hudgell Solicitors, which has also announced that it is on course to enjoy a record year after securing more than £14m in damages for clients over the first six months of this year, said it has already redeployed staff who were employed in the Leeds-based department into its successful clinical negligence and personal injury teams.

The firm, which also has offices in Hull, London and Birmingham, has itself been expanding rapidly following the Jackson Reforms, introduced last April.

In total, it has completed 25 deals, acquiring more than 6,000 files at a cash consideration exceeding £5m, as many other firms have looked to sell off their personal injury cases and focus on other areas.

Mr Hudgell stressed the sale of the department does not represent a change of approach for his firm, with the focus still very much on buying cases and growing in the key areas of clinical negligence and personal injury.

“This represents a good piece of business for both firms. For us, it many ways it is the opposite of what we have been doing in recent times, as we have been buying, rather than selling off work,” Hudgell said.

“Industrial disease is a specialist, niche area of work which need proper expertise and focus to be a success.

“We are still expanding our business and looking to take on more work, but we are making sure we are investing and placing our resources in the right areas such as our successful clinical negligence department.

“We are certain OH Parsons will deliver a great service to all of our existing clients who are now transferring over to them, allowing us to focus on the areas of our business which have potential for high-value growth.”

Neil Hudgell established his legal practice in Hull in 1997 and now employs more than 100 staff in Hull, London, Leeds, Bristol and Birmingham.

Given the total damages secured for clients by the firm were in excess of £8.75m  in 2012, and increased to just over £13m last year, Mr Hudgell says there very clear growth, and focus on where the company’s future lies.

 “We are still growing and looking to acquire more cases in personal injury and medical negligence, as we are clearly positioned as specialists in this field,” he said.