In brief: Dispute leads to writ for firm's dissolution

Manchester firm Slater Heelis has issued a High Court writ to dissolve its 225-year-old partnership in what is believed to be a bid to remove banking and insolvency partner Peter Hardman. Neither Hardman nor the partners at Slater Heelis would comment on the cause of the row, but Slater Heelis lawyers claimed that the firm, which currently has 21 partners, will reform once the dispute has been resolved.