Harrison Clark Solicitors has been appointed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to their panel of intervention agents.
The role, which lasts for three years, means that the Worcestershire and Birmingham-based law firm will provide services on the SRA’s behalf to protect the interests and money of clients whose former firms have been closed down by the authority.
The SRA regulates more than 100,000 solicitors in the United Kingdom and is able to investigate and shut down practices for a number of reasons, including suspicion of breaching discipline, or where clients’ money could be at risk. Harrison Clark is the only firm in Worcestershire to be appointed to the panel of solicitors firms that undertakes such work on behalf of the SRA. The company won the contract following a national tender.
During an intervention, Harrison Clark will be expected to take possession of a firm’s files and documents, such as deeds and wills, then release these to the clients or those entitled to the papers to ensure that the practice is wound up smoothly and clients’ interests are protected.
Harrison Clark partner Andrew Spooner, who will lead the interventions team, said: “The SRA operates a rigorous set of procedures for the firms it appoints to work on its behalf as intervention agents. When taking over the work of a firm that has been intervened, we will keep all the files and papers secure and separate from those of our other clients to ensure client confidentiality. Thanks to our recent expansion, including the merger with Jordans in Cheltenham, Harrison Clark is well-appointed to deliver this kind of specialist service.
“We have to be prepared – often at short notice – to move in to protect the clients’ interests and the money of firms which have been intervened. These could be single solicitors or multi-site practices.
“We are delighted to have been appointed to the panel. It is a great endorsement, not only of our position within the legal community, but also of the specialised services that the firm is able to provide.”
Harrison Clark was one of 24 firms appointed to the panel, out of a total of 166 who expressed an interest. SRA chief executive Antony Townsend said: “We encouraged applications from all parts of the legal community and were very pleased with the number and quality of responses. We have an excellent panel in place to help with interventions, which are a key means of protecting the public.”
