The regulator today moved to close down a Yorkshire firm over what it said was suspected dishonesty on the part of its managing partner.
In a closure decision notice, the Solicitors Regulation Authority said it had intervened into North Yorkshire Law and the practice of its director Richard Charles Boyd. A notice on the firm’s website confirmed that all practice papers, files and monies held by the firm are now in the possession of the SRA, with affected clients urged to direct any enquiries to Bradford-based intervening agents Gordons LLP.
The SRA said it was satisfied that grounds for intervention existed as there was reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Boyd, 69. No further details were disclosed.
North Yorkshire Law, which had offices in Scarborough, York and Whitby, was formed in 2000 with the amalgamation of several firms in the county, including Marshall Edwards Boyd & Tubbs, Buchannan & White, Pearson & Whitfield, George Cass Rylands, Drabble & Co, Pearson Till and Michael Carter. Boyd managed the merging of these firms and has served as managing partner since. The firm specialised in family, conveyancing and wills, trusts and probate.
In August 2019, North Yorkshire Law completed its merger with Bedwell Watts & Co. At the time, Boyd was quoted as saying the firm ‘offered something truly special to clients by having a team that can draw on time served experience from the past and deliver this using a modern approach to law’.
In the same month, Boyd was nominated for managing partner of the year at the annual Yorkshire Legal Awards after the firm experienced significant income growth in the previous year.
Natalie Foster, previously head of commercial at North Yorkshire Law, left the firm last year to jointly launch new practice Foster Clay. In a post on its website today, Foster Clay noted that North Yorkshire Law had been shut down and urged its clients to get in contact if they needed help.
