Beachcroft promotes partner to lead integration of B2 from Beachcroft
Beachcroft has restructured the management and product lines of its claims division as it plans to integrate it into the wider business.
James Morris
The Lawyer reported this week that the firm will absorb its ringfenced volume business B2 from Beachcroft into its real estate and employment practices (6 December 2010).
As part of the preparations Bristol-based associate Ailsa Roberts has been promoted to partner and will become operations manager with a remit to integrate the two brands.
The firm has created 11 specialist product lines within the division, which cover: catastrophic personal injury (claims valued at over £500,000); credit hire; disease; motor; property; strategic litigation; costs; claims validation; casualty (employer’s liability and public liability); safety; health and environment; and all pre-litigation work.
In addition James Morris becomes chairman of claims solutions. Duncan Rutter has been appointed claims solutions practice head and operations director. Paul Parke will be technical director and Rhod Richards business development director.
Morris said: “Our objective in establishing this new structure is two-fold: to assist our clients’ overall reduction in indemnity spend while achieving greater effectiveness and efficiency in how we allocate and handle the claims, so as to maintain our position as one of the UK’s leading insurance practices and compete effectively in what has become an extremely competitive market. Pressure to cut legal spend is acute and likely to become even fiercer in this area of claims work, once the first alternative business structures are licensed in 2011.”
