In a remarkable move, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has shut down two Liverpool-based claims firms, BPS Solicitors and Langton Law, on the same day. Both firms are closely linked to McDermott Smith, another Liverpool firm that went into administration just last month.
The SRA intervened in BPS Solicitors after determining that its manager, Alistair Davies, had violated the Administration of Justice Act 1985. While no dishonesty or breach of accounts rules was suspected, the firm was closed immediately, and Davies, who had been practicing since 1988, was suspended.
Similarly, Langton Law Limited was shut down by the SRA, and its manager, Kathryn Langton, was suspended. Langton, who was admitted to the profession in 2009, was cited for suspected failures to comply with SRA principles, the code of conduct, and accounts regulations.
Stephensons Solicitors, a North West firm, has been appointed as the intervening agent for both BPS Solicitors and Langton Law.
McDermott Smith, which appointed administrators last month, had significantly increased its work in progress and debts in the previous year. BPS Solicitors reportedly took on some of McDermott Smith’s work after it closed. Until April, BPS was registered at the same Liverpool address as McDermott Smith. Alistair Davies himself had joined BPS from McDermott Smith in April, and BPS’s head of housing disrepair also came from the same firm.
While not as large as McDermott Smith, BPS saw rapid growth in recent years. Accounts from 2022/23 revealed a jump from zero staff to two, and from £110,000 in debt to over £1.8 million. By the time of the intervention, the firm employed around 40 people. Earlier this summer, BPS was actively recruiting housing disrepair solicitors and had offered training contracts to three staff members. Those staff members have since posted on LinkedIn seeking new firms to take on their training contracts.
Langton Law, founded by Kathryn Langton, was incorporated in December 2022. Langton had previously served as a director at McDermott Smith before stepping down in 2024. Until last week, Langton Law had been registered at the same address as the now-defunct McDermott Smith, before moving to a new city centre location on Dale Street. Just a week ago, Langton Law had announced on LinkedIn that they were relocating to "bigger and better premises," teasing that the new address would be revealed soon.
Although Stephensons has once again been appointed by the SRA as Intervention Agents, they are not responsible for any creditors of BPS or Langton, nor will they be handling any ongoing cases.
Clients involved in housing disrepair or motor finance matters are encouraged to seek new legal representation. Stephensons will facilitate the transition by ensuring that any recovered files are forwarded to the client’s new law firm.
The sudden closure of a law firm can create significant challenges for both former employees and clients. It’s always unfortunate to see situations like this, where support staff are left without employment through no fault of their own. Equally, clients are now faced with the task of finding alternative legal representation without warning.
If you are affected by this situation and need legal assistance, please contact us at 0345 504 0005 or complete the contact form below for a no-obligation consultation.
Please note that our firm specialises in Housing Conditions claims for tenants in properties owned by housing associations or councils in England and Wales, and may not be able to assist with all legal matters.
Row of council housing flats in East London
