Law Soc loses patience with Solicitors from Hell website
The Law Society has given Solicitors from Hell owner Rick Kordowski until 2 September to remove his website from the internet otherwise it will take High Court action against him for defamation, harassment and breach of the Data Protection Act.
Kordowski, who has been on the losing side of several High Court defamation cases from solicitors named on his site, said he is committed to his cause.
The Law Society first mooted legal action against Kordowski in May (11 May 2011) after High Court judge Mr Justice Henrique said that both the Law Society and Bar Council should investigate defamation complaints about the website (18 April 2011).
The website claims to give consumers a forum to publicly name and shame solicitors who they feel have provided a poor service.
The legal body has now instructed Brett Wilson to lead action against Kordowski on behalf of the entire legal profession. Its aim is to have the site taken down and stop Kordowski from relaunching it in another guise.
In a letter of claim sent to Kordowski the firm states: “You’ve forced a number of firms and lawyers to resort to costly litigation in order to protect their reputations. The irrecoverable cost of such litigation is prohibitive for many firms and lawyers.”
It continues: “It’s fair to say that the website in its current form serves no legitimate purpose and simply provides individuals who have ’axes to grind’ a means to seek to damage the reputation of lawyers (and other individuals) against whom they hold grudges, and for you to attempt to generate revenue.”
Should Kordowski refuse to take the site down, the letter states, the Law Society will attempt to secure a High Court injunction forcing him to.
In a statement Kordowksi said: “I deny all the allegations set out. I find it outrageous that, on the one hand, The Law Society are taking action against me on behalf of all 150,000 solicitors in England and Wales.
“And on the other hand, they’re funding the Legal Ombudsman to the tune of over £20m per year who in the last six months received 38,155 complaints, of which a massive 90 per cent were rejected.
“Does the profession really have that much to hide?
“These costs are ultimately paid for by solicitors in the form of practising certificates. Yet the Law Society totally ’rejected’ my suggestion to work together to expose wrongdoing, where it exists, for the sake of decent lawyers in the profession.”
Kordowski has instructed Cloisters’ Jonathan Crystal to represent him on a pro-bono basis.
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Readers' comments (25)
Rick Kordowski | 16-Aug-2011 4:32 pm
I am glad to report lawyers making ‘amends’ with the poster of a complaint is on the increase.
Rick Kordowski
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Spenser Poultney | 16-Aug-2011 6:10 pm
So...
"The irrecoverable cost of such litigation is prohibitive for many firms and lawyers.”
I have a listing on Rick's site about a firm who would be incapable of having it removed through litigation - NOT because the cost is "prohibitative" - but because what I say about them is TRUE and the firm KNOWS that I can prove every word.
This firm on numerous occasions signed false declarations on bills which is tantamount to criminal fraud ... the SRA refuses to act even at the request of my MP - it seems the Law Society is intent on protecting these criminals further by preventing me from telling the TRUTH which is undeniably in the public interest.
This action against Mr. Kordowski is surely the action of a group of absolute cowards.
I wonder how long this (true) comment will be allowed to survive on this web site?
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Anonymous | 16-Aug-2011 7:02 pm
I read that the Legal Ombudsman, set up to consider complaints against solicitors, had operating costs of £8.3million in the first 6 months of its short existence and rejected 90% of complaints.
Why not set aside, out of the grant to the Legal Ombudsman, a sum of say £1 million per annum to pay for the appointment of legal professionals to help administer Rick Kordowski's Solicitors from Hell website? A small staff will be of enormous benefit to this much needed independent service which will then be seen by the legal profession as a serious forum for complaints.
The Law Society is, under the competiton laws, obliged to allow any number of solicitors to set up in practice. So it should not object to the formation of a competing complaints procedure which clearly has the support of the public. With a minimum amount of funding Solicitors from Hell can adapt and progress to the benefit of its users.
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Danny Beach | 17-Aug-2011 0:16 am
Rick Kordowski can only improve the legal system, the Law Society have failed.
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Anonymous | 17-Aug-2011 7:21 am
Whilst I agree that there must be a more open and accountable way to 'complain' about sub-standard service, I take offence to the tone of the site. It seems to suggest that no lawyer is trustworthy.. This just feeds into the suspicion against the profession.
Are we but better paid traffic wardens in the public's eyes? (I hasten to add that I have nothing against traffic wardens!)
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J | 17-Aug-2011 9:08 am
Dear Mr Kordowski,
Give it up.
Regards,
The Entire World
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Anonymous | 17-Aug-2011 9:49 am
I have seen articles published on this sight about nothing other than a solicitor being rude, seeing a solicitor in a club at 1am and even their dress sense! Please explain why these details are relevant to how a solicitor performs in practice? Furthermore, if the only objective of this website is to improve the quality within the legal profession, why does Mr K accept hundreds of pounds in return for removing posts about solicitors and firms?
Yes, solicitors should be held accountable. but this site is not the correct forum for doing so. The law society needs to step up and provide a just platform for voices to be heard.
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Anonymous | 17-Aug-2011 10:07 am
"Rick Kordowski can only improve the legal system, the Law Society have failed."
fully agree - well done and keep up the good work!
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Anonymous | 17-Aug-2011 10:31 am
@7:21am:
"I take offence to the tone of the site. It seems to suggest that no lawyer is trustworthy.. This just feeds into the suspicion against the profession. "
And the profession's representative body attemtping to shutter the site just makes the whole profession look open, accountable and willing to take criticism and challenges doesn't it?
Maybe the Law Society will open an alternative site - "Solicitors From Heaven" - where the public can leave glowing testimonials...
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Anna Malish | 17-Aug-2011 10:39 am
I’ve had a look and there must be near on 1000 posts. I agree with Spenser Poultney. They cannot all be false.
Feels like a typical corporate cover up to me!
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