Irwin Mitchell steps in after Donns goes into administration
PERSONAL injury law firm Donns Solicitors has been placed into administration, it emerged today.
Accountancy firm PwC is handling the insolvency of the firm which is led by senior partner Raymond Donn and was founded in 1969.
National law firm Irwin Mitchell, which has a strong Manchester office, has already stepped in to buy a chunk of Salford-based Donns’ work in progress.
Donns made losses of £2.8m on turnover of £8.2m in the year to April 30 2010. Its administration follows that of Rowlands Field Cunningham last year.
PwC said 42 jobs has been lost as a result of the administration.
A statement said: “Toby Underwood and Robert Hebenton were appointed as joint administrators of Manchester-based solicitors Donns LLP (‘the partnership’) on 23 March 2012.
“Recent cash flow difficulties and significant historic liabilities have led to the administration… “The partnership had approximately 2,500 cases in progress and its work cases have been sold to minimise disruption to clients.
“Personal injury cases have been purchased by Irwin Mitchell and financial mis-selling and payment protection insurance claims are now being handled by C Turner Solicitors.”
Andrew Tucker, chief cxecutive, personal legal services at Irwin Mitchell said: “Irwin Mitchell confirms that it has agreed an arrangement with PWC as administrators, appointed in respect of Donns LLP for the transfer of the firm’s personal injury files to Irwin Mitchell, subject to clients` consent.
“This is welcome news for those clients of Donns who would otherwise have been left without a solicitor to act for them in their case. We appreciate this will be worrying for many of the people affected and we are therefore writing to each client to advise them of the situation and to offer them the choice of appointing Irwin Mitchell, as a respected personal injury law firm, to act for them or to appoint another solicitor of their choosing.
“We would also assure any clients who do not wish to appoint Irwin Mitchell that we will hold the files for their case, and any monies paid, safely until they inform us of their wishes.”
