Troubled law firm Dundas & Wilson set up ‘firm inside a firm’, insiders doubt claims of 'savings for clients as profits increase'

TROUBLED Edinburgh law firm DUNDAS & WILSON, recently hit in the ‘Tender Bender’ resignation scandal involving insider information obtained by a senior partner in a bidding contract has set up a firm within the firm comprised exclusively of paralegals to carry out work for clients which would previously been undertaken by solicitors. The firm claimed the move would save clients money, as much of the work to be carried out by the Legal Services Unit (LSU) would focus on routine, procedural and repeat work.

Led by Fiona Letham, a solicitor at the firm for 14 years, the Legal Services Unit (LSU) will otherwise be staffed by paralegals, undertaking tasks such as searches, filing, registrations, basic due diligence, and document review and collation. The team of nine will be based across Scotland, but provide support to the London office as well as the Scottish offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. The firm is already looking to hire more paralegals to expand the unit.

The recently elected managing partner Allan Wernham, who will supervise the LSU operation, said: "I am excited to be part of the launch of the Legal Services Unit. Clients are very interested in their law firms coming up with innovative ways to resource their work and new delivery models that can improve efficiency. The LSU allows us to provide clients with more flexible resource for volume tasks, but at the same time, retain the assurance of having work done by a leading law firm.”

Mr Wernham went onto claim : “The LSU is a breath of fresh air in the legal market and as well as being advantageous for clients, it will benefit paralegals, who will have a new career path opened up to them.”

However, a legal insider commented he thought it was unlikely costs to clients will be reduced, also pointing out the situation remains unclear as to whether clients will be told their legal interests are not being dealt with by a fully qualified solicitor, or whether the same ‘safeguards’ for poorly provided services or negligent work will cover the activities of the paralegals in the new ‘arms length’ style unit. (Oh no, not another Glasgow City Council style ALEO ! – Ed)

‘Tender Bender’ at Dundas & Wilson is plugged with partner’s resignation and ‘gardening leave’ in ‘confidential irregularities’ riddle

DUNDAS & WILSON, the well known Edinburgh based law firm who number among their clients, some of Scotland’s former broadsheet newspapers, has been reported to have withdrawn from a tender process and begun an investigation after uncovering unspecified irregularities which appear to have led to the departure of one of it’s partners.

The law firm has reported it had withdrawn a tender after learning that one of it’s partners had come into possession of confidential information that might have prejudiced the tender process. A statement was reported in the Law Society of Scotland’s JournalOnline, hoping to head off further media interest, saying : “The partner concerned has resigned from Dundas & Wilson, and is now on gardening leave".

It was further reported : Interim managing partner Caryn Penley said in a statement (only appearing in the Journal at this time) : “Given the nature of the incident we consulted with the Law Society of Scotland. The circumstances of this are profoundly disappointing for all concerned. In the interests of everyone involved we have acted on this as quickly as possible. Once our investigations are finalised the matter will be referred to our board for further action, and pending that it would not be appropriate to make further comment.”

Elections are currently taking place for the election of a new chairman and a new managing partner at the firm caught in the information fiddle.

There is no statement on the law firm’s website at time of publication, leading to claims clients have been kept in the dark over events.