Solicitor sues own firm for bad divorce settlement

Readers' comments (15)

• Mr Grumpy | 20-Apr-2010 9:16 am

  This surely must rank as the story of the year.

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• Rodger Price | 20-Apr-2010 10:14 pm

  Interesting to know the basis of the valuation! Any lawyer doing a divorce with a company asset will be alive to the moveable feast that is a company valuation report!

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• Anonymous | 21-Apr-2010 10:27 am

  I don't get it. How does this work?

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• Anonymous | 21-Apr-2010 2:50 pm

  I'd love to see what his indemnity insurance premium for the next year will be! short sighted comes to mind!

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• Anonymous | 21-Apr-2010 5:14 pm

  Check out the website for his firm (must be the only solicitors website with a link to poems!).

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• Anonymous | 22-Apr-2010 4:31 pm

  Mystified as to how this could remotely pay off. If the firm is found culpable and negligent how can that attract clients? Is this a winding up exercise?

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• Anonymous one | 22-Apr-2010 5:01 pm

  I seem to recall that the question of whether a solicitor can sue himself has already been determined as a matter of law: I don' think he can.
  I am sure the name of the case will come to me....

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• Iggle Piggle | 22-Apr-2010 5:25 pm

  The firm's website Q&As are interesting. According to the final answer, abuse claims may be eligible for financing on a "No Win No feel" basis.

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• Edward McGill ARIA ARBUK | 23-Apr-2010 11:09 am

  The true value of an asset can only be established by putting it to the market, no capable property professional would give an absolute valuation on a fixed asset prior to public auction. I can assure you that many properties are sold for more than anyone would ever expect and some for much less. We all know company valuations can be improved to attract investment or loans, every casual enquiry can be put on the books as a client , bad debts can be booked as assets etc. I know of one failed practice that booked its lease cars as assets only to the dismay of the bailffs sent to pick them up. So put the firm up for sale and see what you get which may be more than its worth.

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• Anonymous | 25-Apr-2010 0:28 am

  how dull and boring. and who cares ? nearly all lawyers are rogues in any event. the few exceptions move on to better things

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• Dex | 28-Apr-2010 2:25 am

  His practice was overvalued? I wonder how that might have come about. ... Reminds me of the story of the solicitor who finds himself at the Pearly Gates. He demands of St Peter, "What am I doing here? I'm only 37, I'm too young to die!".
  
  St Peter is somewhat taken aback. He replies:
  
  "Well, according to your time sheets, you're 92".

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• Anonymous | 1-May-2010 10:28 pm

  I'm sure Dickinson Dees are plotting a way to out-do this story...
  
  or maybe they'll take over this firm as part of their ABS approach

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• Anonymous | 2-May-2010 6:21 pm

  Welcome to the real world. Most invidiuals who have been wronged by their solicitors ave to just leave it. Just stop crying and throwing your dummy out of the pram and get on with the real world.!!!

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• Marital referee | 12-May-2010 10:26 pm

  What price do you put on a lifestyle that is dissolved. For the solicitor to question the high court and its valuation of his children's lifestyle at £12,000 per annum, how could he, when it's tearing his own family apart. Their is no price guide available which can assess the emotional debt to such a family. I think he got off lightly. The marital home remained just that for the sake of conserving the interests of the children. His business would have been valued at the time of the settlement and though it may not be as prosperous today a retrospective reduced value just would not be fair play. But then is fair play what we expect of the law..

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• Anonymous | 13-May-2010 10:40 am

  This solicitor is trying to sue in negligence for 'bad advice' from - himself. One wonders who is advising him to now try and overturn a judgement arrived at after due - and doubtless lengthy - process?

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