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Wolstenholmes is a 191-year-old Greater Manchester-based law firm

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9:11 am, December 31, 2009
SRA investigates law firm Wolstenholmes

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has stepped in to close down 191-year-old Greater Manchester-based law firm Wolstenholmes.

The SRA said it had appointed an agent to take control of client files at the firm, which mainly did conveyancing work and had offices in Cheadle, Manchester, Birmingham and London.

It is investigating suspected dishonesty and breaches of accounting rules and has suspended the practising certificates of five solicitors at the firm: Imran Hussein, Helen Murgatroyd, Bobby Shabbir, Bilal Khawaja and Nasser Ilyas.

The SRA said it had intervened to protect clients' interests and added that its agent, Kieran Walshe from the Manchester office of DWF, would return files and money in the custody of the firm.

In a statement it said it intervened on December 24 and 27, adding: "The grounds for the intervention were suspected dishonesty and breaches of the Solicitors Accounts and Practice Rules."

The Legal Complaints Commission has received 116 complaints from clients who say they are out of pocket.

All sales which were being handled by the firm in the run up to Christmas have now been frozen.

Hussein told BBC Radio Manchester that he had worked 17-hour days in an effort to make sure property sales were completed. He apologised to clients but denied any wrongdoing.

Wolstenholmes claimed to be dealing with £175m worth of conveyancing transactions every month.

The firm also handles family law, litigation, conveyancing, commercial property,

company and commercial, employment personal injury and immigration.

Wolstenholmes was founded in 1818 and says on its website that "the advantage of a long heritage is the strength of an enviable reputation".

It claims to be one of the fastest growing firms in the UK and adds: "If it is the survival of the fittest, we certainly are in pretty good shape, 5 Recessions battled, and in the midst of our 6th we are stronger than ever..."

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