Pudsey law firm steps in after neighbouring solicitors shut down without warning
A Pudsey law firm has offered jobs and support to staff affected by the sudden closure of a neighbouring solicitors practice.
John Howe & Co, based in Pudsey, says it has already taken on several former employees of Wilsons Solicitors, which had a branch in nearby Horsforth and was part of the wider PM Law Group that has shut down with around 600 staff affected nationally.
The closure has left workers and clients seeking answers, with regulators now investigating the circumstances surrounding the shutdown.
John Howe, founding partner at the firm, said staff were left shocked by how events unfolded.
He said: “We were shocked to hear how the team at Wilsons discovered the change in their circumstances, and it seems as though they have been left high and dry.
“When a closure like this happens without warning, it doesn’t just disrupt clients, it can upend the careers of hardworking professionals.”
He said the local legal community had quickly rallied around those affected.
“It has been heartwarming how the legal profession locally has come together to offer support to clients and former employees alike,” he added.
The Pudsey firm confirmed it has a number of job opportunities available and is encouraging affected staff to get in touch.
Mr Howe said: “We want those affected to know there are options available close to home. People working in conveyancing and high street legal services form part of the fabric of communities like Pudsey and offer valuable experience.”
The firm also said it is supporting clients whose legal matters may have been interrupted.
Reports in the legal press suggest staff arrived at work to find premises locked and communication halted before the Solicitors Regulation Authority intervened to close operations across the group, which also included affiliated firms Butterworths and Angela Viney Conveyancing Services.