Deadline day for Halliwells

LAW firm Halliwells was today set to unveil a three-way carve-up of its assets ahead of the appointment of an administrator.

The fallen giant – still ranked the 46th largest firm in the country – is set to be swallowed up by Birmingham firm HBG Gateley Wareing, Hill Dickinson and Barlow Lyde & Gilbert.

Debt-laden Halliwells filed a notice of an intention to appoint an administrator on June 24, and since then has been in detailed talks with the three other firms for a sale of its business.

On July 7 a second notice of intention was filed, which gave Halliwells until today to conclude the deals before administrators are appointed.
The deals will see Halliwells’ 150-strong insurance team transfer to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert – which last year opened an office in Manchester.

HBJ Gateley Wareing, which is being advised by corporate finance boutique Clearwater, will take over the firm’s corporate, property, commercial litigation, private client and corporate recovery teams.

Halliwells’ Liverpool will meanwhile be taken by Hill Dickinson, which is also set to hire Halliwells’ managing partner Jonathan Brown.
National accountancy firm BDO is expected to be appointed as administrator to Halliwells when the deals have been rubber-stamped.