The conduct of a Craybeck Law partner was the subject of a BBC podcast episode
UK firm Craybeck Law is considering a suit against the British Broadcasting Corporation over a feature in a BBC Radio 4 programme, reported the Law Society Gazette.
An episode of the programme “The Willpower Detectives” released this month accused the firm of legal and financial malpractice in its application of lasting powers of attorney. In particular, the programme focused on the conduct of partner Ron Hiller, who the Gazette indicated was not a lawyer.
“We investigated 30 cases involving Mr Hiller and his firm, Craybeck Law, and found a disturbing pattern of events: people found they had no access to their bank accounts and no idea how much Mr Hiller was charging for being their attorney; large amounts of cash were withdrawn without a reasonable explanation; properties were sold for what owners and others considered was lower than market value, and possessions were cleared and disposed of without owners’ knowledge or informed consent,” BBC investigative reporter Sue Mitchell wrote in a BBC Online statement published by the Gazette.
Craybeck Law hit back against the allegations; in a statement on its website, the firm said that it had been “featured in a highly misleading and inaccurate way.”
“The firm has clear processes and procedures to ensure we uphold the highest standards while working with clients in challenging circumstances. If a client is unhappy with our services, we have a clearly advertised complaints procedure and would encourage them to raise any issues or concerns with us so that we can address these with them. Any clients with questions or concerns due to the inaccurate media coverage should contact us immediately,” the firm said.
Craybeck Law added that it had requested the BBC to outline its claims against the firm.
“We also asked the BBC to clearly set out what, if any, allegations they are making about our firm. They did not do so. Indeed, the questions and deadlines put to us by Sue Mitchell betrayed a complete lack of understanding of our regulatory obligations or the processes and procedures relevant to the issues raised,” the firm said. “For these reasons, we were unable to fully refute the current insinuations or respond to a large number of the questions that the BBC has put to us about specific clients and, more generally, questions which relate to matters of the most private and sensitive nature.”
Craybeck Law indicated that “much of what has been put to us” was “based on second or third hand hearsay.” In a statement to the Gazette, a spokesperson for the firm said that it had reported the issue to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and added that the firm did not know of any current SRA inquiries.
Craybeck Law confirmed to the Gazette that COLP, partner and solicitor Alain Bornstein had evaluated Hiller’s case files in light of the BBC’s claims. The firm’s spokesperson said that the firm had engaged solicitors for advice.
Based in Benfleet Essex, Craybeck Law operates as an alternative business structure.
