News
Halliwells trainees face uncertainty
- 30th June 2010
The future of trainee solicitors at leading Manchester firm Halliwells is unclear after news that the firm has filed for administration.
As trainees worked under fixed term contracts it is not clear how they will stand if the firm goes into administration.
The firm is the biggest in the country to go under as a result of the recent recession but negotiations are under way for a substantial part of the firm to be taken over by Hill Dickinson, the Liverpool law firm. It is understood the firm has some 58 trainees in four offices including a London branch; and three cohorts of 17 trainees were expecting to start their training contracts in August, January 2011 and June 2011.
The firm blamed high property costs and declining profitability for the firm being unable to cover its costs. The firm has also hit the news this week when a former lawyer at the firm was struck of the Solicitors Roll after embezzling more than £90,000 from client funds. Halliwells was founded in 1975 and has 115 partners and around 700 staff.
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