The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed it is intervening into a further two firms owned by legal consortium Metamorph.
- Knowles Benning LLP
- Knight Polson Ltd
The two firms are also owned by Metamorph Group Ltd. This is in addition to the four firms previously intervened into: MLL Ltd, BPL Solicitors Ltd, Beaumont ABS Ltd and Atray Ltd. Metamorph still owns three more firms which have not been subject to an intervention. These are: Parrot & Coales LLP, Browns Solicitors (Buckinghamshire) and Beeston Edwards LLP. An SRA operational note said:
“As with the previous interventions, these have been necessary to protect the interests of clients and former clients of those firms.
To reiterate, an intervention means the SRA has closed a firm with immediate effect. It will stop the firm from operating, take possession of all documents and papers held by the firm, and take possession of all money held by the firm (including clients’ money). It is not responsible towards employees or trade creditors of firms that it has intervened in.
The SRA has appointed an agent to deal with all matters currently held by these firms. The agent will assess all on-going matters and deal with those of greatest need first. The SRA’s archive team will take control of all documents held by the firm.”
The SRA said clients of the firms do not need to contact either the agent or the SRA at this time. If anyone does have a query, however, they can contact the agent, which is still John Owen of Gordons LLP, by calling 0113 227 2117 or emailing metamorph@gordonsllp.com. The regulator concluded its note:
“The SRA will now investigate further the issues raised that have led to this intervention to see if any additional action is necessary. At this stage of the SRA’s work, no further details can be disclosed.
It is only if further action become necessary that any information is released into the public domain. There is no timescale for how long this work will take.”
