![]() The demise of Davenport Lyons![]() The complaint was originally brought in 2008 by Which? magazine after it accused Davenport Lyons of using "excessive" and "bullying" conduct. It saw the Davenport Lyons tactics as little above blackmail and filed a complaint with the UK's Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Which? complained to the SRA in 2008 that Davenport Lyons partner David Gore and former partner Brian Miller had engaged in ‘bullying’ and ‘excessive’ conduct, while acting on behalf of client copyright holders. Following an investigation in 2011, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) fined and suspended two Davenport Lyons lawyers after they were found guilty of six breaches of the Solicitors' Code of Conduct. This was because of them sending more than 6,000 intimidating letters to individuals they accused of illegal file-sharing.
In the Tribunal's Judgment (case reference: 10619/2010) it says:
One pensioner managed to get a
grovelling apology from D-L.
THE BIG QUESTION: Our understanding is that Davenport Lyons was a partnership and, as is normal, it is likely that each partner will have taken a share of any accumulated profits. So was the money that was improperly obtained by the shocking bullying of vulnerable innocent people returned to them, or was it divided up by the Firm - that is, between the Davenport Lyons' partners? In short, did the solicitors profit as the Tribunal stated?
Amazingly, Davenport Lyons had been solicitors to the Movement for Reform Judaism, a religious organisation which purports, on its website, to uphold "a life of integrity based on a process of informed decision making". (Picture below, former Chairman Robert Weiner.) Did they not carry out a due diligence investigation?
In April 2014 Davenport Lyons entered into administration after running up £13.4 millions in debts. It was acquired by the smaller law firm Gordon Dadds. Surprisingly, David Gore, one of the two solicitors fined and suspended by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for their part in sending intimidating letters to innocent individuals, was retained as a consultant with the new firm. Several others, who were partners at Davenport Lyons partners, have been downgraded to consultants. A highly respected London solicitor and former vice-president of the Board of Deputies - now retired and honoured for his public services - wondered why any of the D-L partners would have been taken on. Find out the role of a consultant.
Unsecured creditors were to be offered as little as 10p in the pound on outstanding debts. This included £1.3m to HM Revenue & Customs, more than £6m to the Royal Bank of Scotland, £2.3m to landlords and £2.3m to trade creditors. There is also an outstanding £770,000 owed for professional indemnity insurance. Scores of other creditors are left with a legacy of hardship, while those culpable for much of the financial ineptitude walk away without censure. Do they not have moral responsibilities? UPDATE: Our investigations have discovered that a North London property, where a former D-L partner lived with her second husband, cannot be sold because of a charge imposed by the Bank of Scotland. The Bank is the biggest creditor and will take all necessary steps to recover the huge sum owed to it. A registered charge secured on a property restricts the sale until discharged by the chargee upon payment of the final redemption fee. Trustees from KPMG have been appointed. According to insiders, some D-L employees were angered because they felt they had been kept in the dark about the administration process. If any of those who lost their jobs at Davenport Lyons would like to speak to us, please contact us in the first instance. Find out more about the Davenport-Lyons debacle by following these links: Case Study - Partnership Administration of Davenport Lyons June 2016 Davenport Lyons creditors set for talks over £13.4m debt. 26 June 2014 Notice of Corporate Insolvency - Meetings of Creditors 20 June 2104 Law firm Davenport Lyons sold via pre-pack 10 June 2104 Disgruntled ex-Davenport Lyons employee vandalises office 16 May 2014 Who actually benefits from law firm mergers? 8 May 2014 Shock of the new for Davenport 5 May 2014
Disarray: The story behind the Davenport Lyons "reverse takeover" by Gordon Dadds 29 April 2014 Gordon Dadds buys Davenport Lyons out of administration 28 April 2014 Davenport Lyons enters administration 28 April 2014
Davenport Lyons: we are not on the verge of administration 11 March 2014
Howard Kennedy FSI abandons merger with Davenport Lyons 27 February 2014
Howard KennedyFsi mulls second London merger as it considers Davenport takeover 25 February 2014
Davenport Lyons and Howard Kennedy FSI in merger talks 14 February 2014
Shakespeares calls off merger talks with Davenport Lyons 30 January 2014
Two solicitors accused over file-sharing 'bully tactics' (The Law Society Gazette)
Which goes after Davenport Lyons
Davenport Lyons Solicitors - an independent review. (Yelp)
Davenport Lyons lawyers fined and suspended (Hermes project)
Davenport Lyons lawyers suspended by SDT for causing "intimidation". (The Lawyer, August 2011)
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News MiscellanyNew links will be added as the site is updated.
One from the Archives: ![]() Letters to the Board's President, Mrs Marie van der Zyl. (PDFs) 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7 ~ 8 9 ~ 10 ~ 11 ~ 12 ~ 13 ~ 14 ~ 15 16 ~ 17 ~ 18 ~ 19 ~ 20 ~ 21 22 ~ 23
Board leader censured Liverpool Polytechnic graduate is proud of her alma mater. Read about Ms Kaye's conversion. The Most Common CV Lie is ... ? ![]() Find out. ![]() Labour adopts IHRA code on antisemitism after weeks of protest and arguments. Photo courtesy of CITY A.M. ![]() A tribute to a remarkable Rabbi, seen here with his grandson Darrell van der Zyl. ![]() Auschwitz Remembered
![]() Berlin Exhibition dedicated to the van der Zyl family history. ![]() Kristallnacht is the focus of the Library’s new exhibition Shattered Oct 2018 to Nov 2019. ![]() Opposition to Holocaust Memorial ![]() ... or a reward for failure? Read about Partnership Voluntary Arrangements (PVAs). ![]() ... examines the range of crimes in which solicitors become involved ![]() ![]() The Tower of London’s Jewish links. (Jewish News Online) ![]() Joseph Finlay outlines a truly democratic alternative. ![]() ![]() Progressively Speaking ![]() As you are a non-Jew of no standing in the Jewish community, you are not welcome. ____________________ ![]() Together for Peace WARNING: Anyone, other than Nikki van der Zyl or Kerry van der Zyl, who claims to be the daughter or granddaughter of Rabbi Dr Werner van der Zyl the founder of the Leo Baeck College in North London, is a Betrüger (deceiver). If you know of anyone practising this deception, please report it. |