A Liverpool firm specialising in acting in solicitors’ regulatory and insurance disputes has announced it is to shut up shop following the decision of two partners to move to a  new-model umbrella firm. Legal Risk partners Frank Maher and Sue Mawdsley will join Keystone Law as partners on 1 July, where they plan to continue providing the same legal services without the burdens of running a practice.

Meanwhile partner Francis Dingwall is taking on an in-house risk and compliance role at Fieldfisher.

Frank Maher

Maher: less box-ticking

Source: Michael Cross

Legal Risk, founded in 2003, has advised more than 40 of the top 100 firms. Some of its high profile cases have involved disputes over attempts by professional indemnity  insurers to limit liability in cases involving large numbers of claims. 

Maher, 65, told the Gazette that he is looking forward to the new working model. ’It will enable me to do a bit more - I can spend my day on client work rather than ticking boxes on a form.’

Keystone, founded by City solicitor James Knight in 2002, has more than 400 specialist lawyers on its books. It handles office administration and marketing in return for a percentage of each partner’s turnover. 

Knight said: ’Keystone’s regulation practice has grown extensively over the past year representing clients from a range of disciplines including the medical and financial services sector. With the arrival of Frank and Sue, our expertise in regulation and indemnity representing professional practices will be bolstered and I am delighted to welcome them and those they advise to the firm.’

 

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