A managing partner previously with the collapsed UK branch of London firm Armstrong Teasdale has won a tribunal claim against his former employer.
Court documents reveal that Daniel O’Connell, who was owner and managing partner of London firm Kerman & Co before its acquisition by Armstrong Teasdale, was successful in an employment tribunal claim for unfair dismissal.
O’Connell had presented his claim in the London Central tribunal in November. Respondent Armstrong Teasdale Management Limited failed to present a valid response on time.
Employment Judge Keogh ruled that the unfair dismissal claim should stand and directed that a hearing be held to determine remedy. The judge did not make a determination for complaints of detriment following protected disclosure and of victimisation.
No further details were revealed in the tribunal papers. The Gazette has contacted O’Connell, who is now a consultant with Laytons ETL, for comment. O’Connell was managing partner at Kermans for 23 years and moved into a similar role with Armstrong Teasdale Management Limited in 2021 before he left the business in February 2024.
It is unclear whether O'Connell will be able to recover any remedy award that might be made, and this would likely depend on whether there are available funds from the administration.
The London office of US firm Armstrong Teasdale opened in 2021 and by its closure in September last year it had a staff of more than 50, including 10 trainees. It had announced its UK arrival with the acquisition of Kerman & Co and then moved into prestigious new premises, in the refurbished Royal College of Surgeons building by Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
Insolvency specialist Quantuma was appointed to handle the administration in November last year and issued a six-month update earlier this month.
The report states that the UK firm had cash reserves of almost £500,000 and has recovered around £335,000 from debtors.
The business owed around £505,000 to lender AIB Group, but it is not expected there will be sufficient realisations to pay this back. Unsecured creditors who have made 19 claims coming to £1.8m are likely to be in a similar position.
Administrators’ pre-administration costs came to £56,000, while solicitor manager fees were £25,000. The joint administrators’ fees have been limited at £296,000 based on an estimate given last November. During the first six months they incurred time costs of £224,000 equating to 663 hours at an average rate of £338 per hour.
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