UK Lawyer Made $25M in a Year, Now He Is Focus of Legal-Fees Controversy

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UK Lawyer Made $25M in a Year, Now He Is Focus of Legal-Fees Controversy

Posted Nov 13, 2008, 06:31 pm CST
By Martha Neil

Representing injured coal miners has proven to be a lucrative practice area for Jim Beresford, 58, and his three-partner law firm.

At one point, the head office of the United Kingdom law firm now known as Beresfords Solicitors was shabby building near a Chinese takeout restaurant in Doncaster, in South Yorkshire. But by 2003 it had moved to a luxurious lakeside development there, according to the London Times.

"Last year The Lawyer magazine calculated that Mr. Beresford was the highest-earning solicitor in Britain, topping the estimated13 million pounds that was earned in 2005-06 by Andrew Nulty," the Times article recounts.

In fact, Beresfords apparently topped Nulty—who made his fortune in the same practice area—by a considerable amount. The 16.7 million pounds that the Times says Beresford earned personally amounts to about $24.8 million in U.S. dollars, at the current exchange rate. McNulty's 13 million pounds is about $19.3 million in U.S. dollars.

However, the moolah—which Jim Beresford apparently spent, in part, on a Ferrari in the garage of his 18-acre estate in South Yorkshire and a private plane, according to the Times—has proven controversial.

Government funds intended to compensate injured miners apparently may have helped pay for Beresford's luxe life, as well as the earnings of other lawyers and law firms representing the plaintiffs in these cases. And then there's the issue of referral fees that miners' lawyers may have paid to nonlawyers such as insurance agents, to help generate legal business.

While such referral fees are permitted—and Beresford and his 51-year-old partner Douglas Smith say they have done nothing wrong—the Beresfords firm's enormous earnings have helped make the practice controversial, according to another Times article.

It also appears that client disclosure rules may have been violated by a number of solicitors, according to the article.

The Solicitors Displinary Tribunal has been holding hearings on complaints against several dozen law firms, and next week is scheduled to hear 11 allegations against Beresford and Smith.

"The pair are accused of failing to act in the best interests of their clients, of not giving adequate advice and entering into contingency fee deals against their clients’ best interests," the newspaper writes. "The firm is also accused of entering into arrangements for claims to be referred that were 'a sham' and improper."

Additional coverage:

London Times: "Behind the story: How digging for details unearthed a scandal"

The Lawyer: "Beresford to face tribunal over miners' claims"

ABAJournal.com (2007): "‘Appalling Feeding Frenzy’ By UK Lawyers"

Comments

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Posted by B. McLeod - 1 month, 3 weeks, 4 days, 7 hours, 55 minutes ago

SO they talk funny. WELL, I will GRANT you THAT. But it is REALLY hard to stay MAD at them for LONG.

(In SPITE of EVERYTHNG).
Posted by Ellen Barshevsky - 1 month, 3 weeks, 4 days, 2 hours, 2 minutes ago

When I was in Eng land, I did NOT like the breakfasts. So all the money this man made would NOT make me move there.

They say this guy had a FERRARI. I do NOT need one. And I am NOT impressed with men that drive them because they wear to much colone . My boyfriend does not wear colone and is happy driving an old Jetta his dad gave him when he got his degree mabye 8 years ago, and that is GOOD enough for me.

Also why would this Partner NEED a 18-acre estate in South Yorkshire (wherever that is) or a private plane, I am happy in my 1 bedroom CO-OP apartment which my DAD helped me out on buying.

I work HARD to pay my mortgeage, and I do. If Alan and I get MARRIED, maybe we will move out, but for now, their is NO NEED for all of that.
Posted by Al Tidom - 1 month, 3 weeks, 3 days, 23 hours, 57 minutes ago

#1 is a fraud. Barshevsky is the real thing. Out with B. McLeod!

Ellen Barshevsky RULES!!!!
Posted by L.N. Barshevsky - 1 month, 3 weeks, 3 days, 23 hours, 27 minutes ago

Al, you are SO right. There’s only one Ellen!
Posted by Bill Dickey - 1 month, 3 weeks, 3 days, 22 hours, 19 minutes ago

The guys over on the other side of the pond make a lot of snatch, but it’s true. We have ELLEN!
Posted by W. ROYER - 1 month, 3 weeks, 3 days, 20 hours, 54 minutes ago

First, I don’t believe that Ellen works hard at all. She apparently has plenty of time to provide the legal world with her childish rants, which are encouraged by all of you others. I think Ellen is a great example of what is holding America back . And I would appreciate it if the ABA would remove postings 1) that use e-mail yelling regularly such as Ellen does, or 2) by readers that have shown a continued propensity to drive down the level of discussion on this website. The only way to get removed at this time is to criticize Ellen. I suspect, in fact, that this comment will be removed by the ABA’s Czar of Fairness, Ms. Molly McDonough. That’s my bet. But’s it’s OK to call B. McLeod a “fraud”. As an attorney, I would find this website a lot more useful without the input of Ellen, and her followers.
Posted by W. ROYER - 1 month, 3 weeks, 3 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes ago

Wow. I just did some research on Ellen. Could the ABA please explain why they are letting this person destroy their website?
Posted by B. McLeod - 1 month, 3 weeks, 3 days, 18 hours, 11 minutes ago

I do NOT think Ellen or her FANS should be BLOCKED.

HOWEVER, I DO think our colleagues should have the RIGHT to KNOW if posters are a “fraud” or if they are NOT. Let me make this VERY clear: I AM NOT a “FRAUD.”

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