Legal Practice sold

[Still Farming]

Any others on here had legal or other issues when legal practices are sold or bought out , and the old then firm associates retire off scene?
Looks like more and more senario's and client's ditched or wipe slate clean possibly?
Where old firm knew Families, legal issues dealt with in past ,how do others manage and to dread," START" again with new lot as "ACT daft" to long held aggreements, understanding, tenancy rights etc etc once carried out?
Worrying?

 

[teslacoils]

Follow your solicitor, not the firm. If your solicitor is approaching retirement age, make sure you get to know the next in line.

 

[Still Farming]

Follow your solicitor, not the firm. If your solicitor is approaching retirement age, make sure you get to know the next in line.

Happened over years as they stay as associate in their "payout terms", for few years and then retire fully.
All "act daft" then without covid situations?

 

[7610 super q]

Trouble I've found is staff don't seem to hang around long. Start with Wendy, 3 weeks later Wendy goes on maternity leave, hands over to Julie, who leaves to pursue another career 10 days later, then hands over to Nigel, who decides he's too busy, hands over to Jane who goes off on maternity leave 2 weeks later......

 

[Netherfield]

One of the problems with the old firms is a few of the 'partners' are all of a similar age, when they want to retire and take out their share of the partnership, there's not enough money in the kitty, so to top it up they end up selling the business off piecemeal. New company are basically just buying customers, get rid of a lot of the staff who are non partners but probably knew your affairs.
Now they can charge a good hourly rate getting information out of you.
Daughter had three different conveyencers over 4 month period, because of covid, none seemed capable of passing on files and information to the next one, so they keep asking the same questions over and over again.

 

[Still Farming]

Same with Accountants, Dentists ,Doctors the blumming lot .
Start from scratch - Name please?????

 

[Dry Rot]

It's not a case of practices being bought out by big business, like the vets, is it?

 

[snarling bee]

Had all the above. Its very rare that the new face is as good as the old one, but it does happen.

 

[lloyd]

I'd recommend Marches law in Hereford .
They are very efficient ,easy to communicate
with and have a great understanding of most
aspects of law including agricultural related issues.

 

[Still Farming]

It's not a case of practices being bought out by big business, like the vets, is it?

Yes everyone possibly

 

[DrWazzock]

Make sure you know where your deeds/partnership agreements end up and maybe best to keep copies yourself. The solicitors who took over our firm denied they had them leaving us fairly high and dry with the bank and others. It was one of those sinking feeling moments. Luckily we found copies stuffed in an old wardrobe here with our old solicitors name on them. This spurred the new practice on to look for them again and thankfully they turned up. They’d been left “on the side” for filing ...... for 10 years. Once that was sorted out we got on well with them.

 

[HolzKopf]

We deal with a few different solicitors' firms re personal and own business also through unpaid board membership and charity. Have found Covid to be a real issue in terms of joined up thinking and work practises i.e. 'not in the office'. One guy literally working in his shed - cleared it out for stay-at-home 1 early last year, put all his gear back in the summer and now back in it for Tier 4 and lockdown 2. Still charging £350 / £375 upwards though. Also I don't underestimate the psychological issues that they may be suffering. With the greatest will in the world it's not easy working off the kitchen table with kids running around and your 'lockdown cockapoo' yapping.

This has only exacerbated what I think has been a general trend in poor attention by solicitors to their clients. The 'old firms' around here that used to have three maybe four partners, an associate or two and some secretarial staff have morphed into much larger outfits by retirements, mergers, high property rents and the like. Liability, compliance and employment law issues means that the smaller outfits are no longer viable. This brings staff changes as @7610 super q and @Netherfield say by journeymen and women trying to climb the legal ladder to boost their salaries and experience. They don't stay for long.

The days of 'family solicitors' that knew you, your family, your set-up and your business are gone. I find that in order to get anything done you have to be proactive and chase constantly. Dealing with people who are not really engaged. 'Zoom' is crap for discussion and body language. Good heartfelt advice seems to be missing with you the client making many of the decisions anyway as the solicitor 'takes your instructions'. Occasionally you do get someone who stands out but it's the exception not the rule. I've also notice that our billing amounts are up. It seems that someone working from home has to justify the time they spend 'working' - i.e. eight hours a day, so cynical me thinks I may be paying for tea and coffee breaks, lunch, dog walks and down-time.

 

[Still Farming]

Same practice had trouble with last spring.
Paid by cheque for work done , took photo , also took in personally even though lockdowns and all working from home ,luckily seen a partner walking in to check messages ,post etc so handed to him to take in ,had email to say thankyou for cheque ,then months later bill for outstanding invoice etc etc ,turns out lost cheque???
WTF.
Not cashed ,wrote new one out but FFS WTF their a BIG legal Practice???
Don't give you confidence does it???

 

[lloyd]

We deal with a few different solicitors' firms re personal and own business also through unpaid board membership and charity. Have found Covid to be a real issue in terms of joined up thinking and work practises i.e. 'not in the office'. One guy literally working in his shed - cleared it out for stay-at-home 1 early last year, put all his gear back in the summer and now back in it for Tier 4 and lockdown 2. Still charging £350 / £375 upwards though. Also I don't underestimate the psychological issues that they may be suffering. With the greatest will in the world it's not easy working off the kitchen table with kids running around and your 'lockdown cockapoo' yapping.

This has only exacerbated what I think has been a general trend in poor attention by solicitors to their clients. The 'old firms' around here that used to have three maybe four partners, an associate or two and some secretarial staff have morphed into much larger outfits by retirements, mergers, high property rents and the like. Liability, compliance and employment law issues means that the smaller outfits are no longer viable. This brings staff changes as @7610 super q and @Netherfield say by journeymen and women trying to climb the legal ladder to boost their salaries and experience. They don't stay for long.

The days of 'family solicitors' that knew you, your family, your set-up and your business are gone. I find that in order to get anything done you have to be proactive and chase constantly. Dealing with people who are not really engaged. 'Zoom' is crap for discussion and body language. Good heartfelt advice seems to be missing with you the client making many of the decisions anyway as the solicitor 'takes your instructions'. Occasionally you do get someone who stands out but it's the exception not the rule. I've also notice that our billing amounts are up. It seems that someone working from home has to justify the time they spend 'working' - i.e. eight hours a day, so cynical me thinks I may be paying for tea and coffee breaks, lunch, dog walks and down-time.

Perhaps you have experienced this in your area but there are 'family solicitors '
in this area doing extremely well like 'Marches law' in Hereford.
The reason this one is doing so well is that they are have a personable
small team and are very competitive in their quoting because their costs have been scrutinised by the senior partner and the carefuly selected team means they are held in high regard by their insurers along with being an office owner they know a more precise cost so can be profitable but excellent value for money whilst still providing a great service.
It used to be big is great but the tide has turned as some of the mega firms
haven't been able to keep a handle on their costs so are passing it on to their
clients as they are getting desperate.

 

[Still Farming]

Perhaps you have experienced this in your area but there are 'family solicitors '
in this area doing extremely well like 'Marches law' in Hereford.
The reason this one is doing so well is that they are have a personable
small team and are very competitive in their quoting because their costs have been scrutinised by the senior partner and the carefuly selected team means they are held in high regard by their insurers along with being an office owner they know a more
precise cost so can be profitable but excellent value for money whilst still providing
a great service.
It used to be big is great but the tide has turned as some of the mega firms
haven't been able to keep a handle on their costs so are passing it on to their
clients as they are getting desperate.

Even trusted family Solicitors sell out or retire and fade away eventually?

 

[lloyd]

Even trusted family Solicitors sell out or retire and fade away eventually?

Some have the next generation involved just like farming .

 

[Still Farming]

Some have the next generation involved just like farming .

Possibly, not many like farming also ",see the light"?

 

[lloyd]

Possibly, not many like farming also ",see the light"?

All I know is that firm is doing well because it has run a tight ship
and has kept the traditional,personable values that clients like.

 

[Hfd Cattle]

All I know is that firm is doing well because it is run a tight ship
and has kept the traditional,personable values that clients like.

Humfyrs & Symonds ok . !
Still director owned .

 

[lloyd]

Humfyrs & Symonds ok . !
Still director owned .

Yeah ,bit more dandy but ok.!