Burnley legal firm in sudden closure (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Burnley legal firm in sudden closure

3:37pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in News By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

A LEADING firm of solicitors in Burnley has closed at short notice.

SFN, based in Red Lion Street, has sent a letter to customers, and put a notice on the door, announcing that it has ceased to practise.

Mystery surrounds the reasons behind the firm’s decision to close.

A spokesman for the Solic-itors’ Regulation Authority (SRA) said it had been notified by SFN that it was closing, and it was on an “orderly wind down.”

The SRA said it was now work- ing with SFN, and its customers, to help them find alternative solicitors.

It said the reasons behind the firm’s closure were personal.

At the same time, another firm, Steele, Ford and Newton, of Burnley and Nelson, yesterday moved to reassure customers that it was still trading.

Mark Irlam, personal injury director at Steele, Ford and Newton, said: “Steele, Ford and Newton are not connected to SFN in any way, and it is very much business as usual for us.

“Not only have we had our own clients questioning the news, but those of SFN coming in as well, which has prompted this course of action.

“We understand that the conf-usion is due to us having the same initials for our business as theirs, but that is as far as any similarities go.

“Our business is only going from strength to strength.”

It is believed SFN solicitor Ian Dearing sent a letter to cust-omers telling them that they were closing on October 16.

As well as a notice on the door, customers phoning now hear a voicemail confirming the closure.

Nobody from the practice could be contacted to comment yesterday.