Morgan Cole drops legal aid practice

Morgan Cole is hiving off its legal aid practice as it restructures to become more focused on corporate and commercial work.

Based in Oxford, the legal aid department is setting up as an independent firm, led by the office's principal partner Kirsten Smith.

A statement issued by Morgan Cole's chief executive says: "David Main confirms that as part of its restructuring process, Morgan Cole's legal aid matrimonial work will be dealt with by two partners who will leave the firm to set up a separate practice, retaining close links with Morgan Cole in order to assist referral of work."

The move follows the decision made in July by Morgan Cole's partners to allow the management to axe up to 15 partners.

The partnership cull, first revealed by The Lawyer on 12 July, represents nearly 15 per cent of the existing 104 partners of the recently merged firm, made up of Cole & Cole, Morgan Bruce and Fishburn Boxer.