Shropshire Star

Liquidators appointed to wind up Telford-based law firm forced to close by regulators

Liquidators have been appointed to wind up one of the law firms that was forced to stop trading in an action by regulators earlier this year.

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Knowles Benning LLP was a part of Metamorph Group Services based at Syer House, in Stafford Park 1, in Telford, when the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority stepped in and brought an immediate halt to the business.

The SRA said the action taken in December and January to cease the business was made "to protect the interests of current and former clients".

Across the group hundreds of jobs were believed to have been involved. The business handled by the companies was transferred to other companies.

Now in the most recent move a petition to wind up Knowles Benning was heard at the County Court of Justice in Manchester on May 9. The petitioner was named in legal papers as Andrew McBride who was using a law firm called Law 4 U Solicitors.

Official documents on the London Gazette record confirm that a winding up order was made against the company on May 9.

The winding up will be handled by the official receiver.

Liquidators were appointed to wind up Metamorph Group Services earlier this year.

The taxman had petitioned to wind up the company in January this year and liquidators were appointed following a resolution passed at a meeting of the company in Telford on November 29.

Other law firms in Shropshire were closed down as part of the regulator’s probe into what was a major player in the legal profession.

Terry Jones Solicitors was joined by closures at Linder Myers Solicitors in Shrewsbury, Donnelly & Elliott Solicitors in Telford, and SLC Solicitors, also in Shrewsbury.

MLL Ltd, BPL Solicitors Ltd, Beaumont ABS Ltd & Atray Ltd were closed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority on December 14.

Separately Knowles Benning LLP & Knight Polson Limited were closed by the SRA on December 19.