By: 22 December 2015
Asons scraps new £8m office due to small claims PI reforms

Asons has shelved plans to move into a new office in Bolton in response to the Government’s plans to reform the personal injury small claims sector.

Legal Futures has reported that the firm has suspended building work on the property, thought to be worth £8 million. It said that George Osborne’s Autumn Statement had left the firm with no choice but to stop construction on what it hoped would be its new headquarters. The office, which the firm was planning to move into next summer, was supposed to include a restaurant and a rooftop garden.

Asons wants to put £6 million that it had set aside for building work to shore up its own existing infrastructure. The firm will also shed 3% of its 280 staff through redundancy or redeployment.

According to Legal Futures, a spokesman said: “Asons want to avoid any historical mistakes made by other law firms, such as Halliwells, the law firm that became an anchor tenant at Spinningfields in Manchester before being dissolved with massive debts, blaming the recession and high rents.

“Asons is now shoring up its defences to ensure that the business survives any impending harsh weather and won’t further add to unemployment figures.

“With these amendments to the current law on injuries caused by others possibly being passed as soon as April 2016, Asons have decided to make protecting as many jobs as possible their number one priority. The decision was made after careful consideration among the directors.