Yorkshire firm vows to reopen after associated firm is shut down by regulators

THE founder of law firm Towers Legal has vowed that it will resume work next year after a firm with which it was associated with shut down.

The Harrogate firm, founded by former McCormicks partner James Martin last year, closed last week after Legal Development Partners, a firm with which Towers Legal was associated, was shut down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority following allegations of dishonesty against the directors.

Mr Martin said the firm’s relationship with Legal Development Partners, which traded as Ashworth Law among others, involved it paying a fee to the firm in return for professional indemnity insurance, a Solicitors Regulation Authority number and a small number of administrative resources including office space.

However, he added that Towers Legal was managed and run as a separate entity dealing with commercial law only, and had no involvement with any alleged wrongdoing by the managers of Legal Development Partners.

Mr Martin said his firm was “shocked and concerned” by the closure of Legal Development Partners.
 
“We first became concerned that all was not well when the Solicitors Regulation Authority arrived on 13 November to carry out an investigation. Towers Legal staff were not told what the investigation involved, but we took immediate steps to begin separating Towers Legal from Legal Development Partners.
 
“Our primary concern is for our clients and we are doing all we can to ensure that Towers Legal can get up and running again quickly. We have been liaising with the Solicitors Regulation Authority, who have confirmed that the solicitors working with Towers Legal are not in any way implicated in the wrongdoing which has led to the closure of Legal Development Partners.”

Mr Martin added: “A regulation authority representative has also confirmed that Towers’ application for sole accreditation will be fast-tracked, so we are confident that we can resume business as usual in the New Year.”

Ashworth Law specialised in dispute resolution, family, personal injury, property, and wills and probate. Legal Development Partners was formed in October 2011 to buy the assets of Ashworth Law out of administration in a pre-pack deal.