Willmett Solicitors believed to be in administration

What happens now
how to get papers?
how to get money back?
Amd the staff I feel sorry for!

THIS IS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG....

First, this is not negligence. If it was, then Willmett's Professional Indemnity Insuance would cover it.

Second, a firm the size of Willmett does not go into administration because it is liable for a £1.35m claim. Yes its a big sum, but they could work it out.

The reason it has gone into administration is that Mr Gilbert has helped clients to pull a fast one like this on several occassions, and the sums invloved are huge.

The other partners at Willmetts have known for while that Jonny Gilbert had dropped them in it and have been desperately trying to hold things together. They have already taken Mr Gilbert to court themselves and petitioned for his bankruptcy. Earlier this year they obtained freezing orders against him for £5m and another one of their clients, Mark Entwistle, for £2.8m. The number of cases and sums invloved between these two men makes the Elegant Homes (Guernsey)£1.35m seem like small change. There are many more cases under investigation, and rumours are that between the two men over £20m (some suggest much more) has been defrauded.

Northern Rock has obtained court orders against Mr Gilbert and Mr Entwistle after it lent someone money to buy a property off Mr Entwistle. The money was handed over but Gilbert did not clear the legal charges and Entwistle did not pay off the large loans that already existed on the property. Just like Elegant Homes (Guernsey). The money has gone, and Northern Rock now have freezing orders against the two men for over £3.5m, and judgements making them liable for over £4m (the loan and interest). The case claims fraudulent missappropriation of funds.

Other cases invlove borrowing money to buy properties for Mr Entwistle's own property portfolio or his property development company Rigsby New Homes. There are cases where several mortgages have been obtained on a single property (each time the banks unaware that others had also been lending), and cases of registring non-existent properties at Land Registry and obtaining mortgages on them.

This is not victimless. While the banks have been taken to the cleaners, hundreds of innocent people have also been affected, from the partners at Willmetts who stand to personally lose everything, and the staff who have lost their jobs, to people sucked in to selling property only to find they had been drawn into a scam. Mr entwistle's Rigsby took part in this fraud, and over 200 credtiors were owed £9m when when it collapsed.

Northern Rock, RBS, Natwest, Clydesdale.....several banks are chasing to get their money back.

Mr Gilbert has indeed disappeared, unlike Mr Entwistle who is still living in Windsor, still working in his usual office setting up new companies, still driving around in his Bentley. But he has recently given up his other job as a long-haul pilot for Virgin Airlines - perhaps he didn't need the money......

Firstly if your a client you can obtain your file and any client money held and instruct another solicitor. All files held by Reading are with Melvin Berryman at Ferguson Bricknell in Oxford/Headingly and those at Woodley are with Nick Powe at Browns in Marlow. All clients should receive a letter informing them of the situation.

If in doubt, ask your Estate Agent who will be able to recommend a local solicitor as most clients that live locally dont want their files in Oxofrd/Headingly or Marlow.

One of the Partners is totally distraut by the whole situation and is leaving the legal profession forever which is a real shame. He was caught up innocently and now faces financial ruin for something which other Partners in the firm seem to have known about previously and for which the Law Society reprimanded them and Jonathan Gilbert. Please dont forget that this not only affects all staff but retired Partners of the firm!!

As for the indemnity insurance I can only suggest that other firms read the small print. We were informed that due to the small print the insurers were dealing with each claim concurrently and not as individual cases, had that been the case the firm would probably not have gone into administration.

Whatever happens I would simply ask that the public dont judge everyone who worked for the firm and tar them with the same brush, only the Partners knew what was going on and I can assure you the rest of the staff knew nothing as we kept asking for details due to job concerns and repeatedly reassured there was nothing to worry about.

I was employed by Willmetts and worked for them for over 5 years, both in the Windsor & Maidenhead offices. I was lucky enough to get another job, but a lot of my colleagues have not. We were a very close and friendly bunch, and I will miss everyone very much.

Does anyone know the date when the earliest claim arises from?

"One of the Partners is totally distraut by the whole situation and is leaving the legal profession forever which is a real shame. He was caught up innocently and now faces financial ruin"

True

"... for something which other Partners in the firm seem to have known about previously and for which the Law Society reprimanded them and Jonathan Gilbert."

Not true. The other partners were not implicated and have not been reprimanded by the "Law Society" ie the Solicitors Regulatory Authority.

Get your facts straight. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. What you say is libellous.

the demise of the firm maybe contributary to mitchs post, however when you have a firm like this that relied on 6 people to bring in fees, one being the now departed mr gilbert, then 4 of the other 5 leave without being replaced, you have to question the judgement of the senior management.the partners across the board havent taken any salary for years there as the business wasnt making money, the poor market and the departing of the best people in the last 12 months to competitors is in my opinion the reason.

I am 100% convinced that this is a convenient excuse to wind the firm down and use J Gilbert as a perfect excuse.For the record, the £1.35m claim WAS paid by insurers as will the other claims,which are insured.The 2 partners remaining have secured cosy jobs in other practices , taking the files with them as a golden hello.

the freezing orders on Gilbert and Entwhistle are related to monies paid from willmett by gilbert to Entwhistle who has refused to give it back to the bank, some £7million im told. Im sure when the lenders bankrupt him (sooner rather than later i hope) they will get it back then, unless he (they) have spent it of course.

I worked for them for 35 years. I was hardly off sick in all that time. They never even said thanksfor your hard work over the years, we just got one day's notice. So much for loyalty.

ROSEY MAIDENHEAD wrote:

I worked for them for 35 years. I was hardly off sick in all that time. They never even said thanksfor your hard work over the years, we just got one day's notice. So much for loyalty.

What do you expect? It's a solicitors firm.

You spent 35 years helping them to shaft other people's arses before getting it rammed up your own in the end.

Karma in action if you ask me.

I have used them for almost 10 years, buying and selling almost 20 flats and houses in that time, and they drew up my wills. I always found them very obliging and their fees were reasonable.

I had a long meeting with Jonathon just over a year ago, I am surprised that his has caused the ship to sink. FWIIW I liked him, and hope that he gets his act together.overt

Kernunnos wrote:

<quoted text>
What do you expect? It's a solicitors firm.
You spent 35 years helping them to shaft other people's arses before getting it rammed up your own in the end.
Karma in action if you ask me.

I find your comments coarse and unkind. Perhaps you could redeem yourself by apologising to the lady in question.

I wonder what your involvement with the firm was?

Kernunnos wrote:

<quoted text>
What do you expect? It's a solicitors firm.
You spent 35 years helping them to shaft other people's arses before getting it rammed up your own in the end.
Karma in action if you ask me.

I did not shaft people as you seem to suggest. I was paid a megre wage in return for a hard day's work. I therefore find your comments most offensive.

Rosey Maidenhead does not warrant the comments from Kernunnos. What an unpleasant, cynical view to have.

serendipity wrote:

<quoted text>
I find your comments coarse and unkind. Perhaps you could redeem yourself by apologising to the lady in question.
I wonder what your involvement with the firm was?

oh so posh

Kernunnos wrote:

<quoted text>
What do you expect? It's a solicitors firm.
You spent 35 years helping them to shaft other people's arses before getting it rammed up your own in the end.
Karma in action if you ask me.

You cant have a laugh these days well! with these middie class div's

What, pray, are "middie class div's"??

My case has gone missing. Nobody knows where it is.
One told me the file has gone to another firm but it is not. And I have not received any letter. It is all chaotics. How can I get my deposit back, in the worst case that I have to start all over again?
And my vendor is threatening to find another buyer if I don't exchange soon.

Judging by the comments of 'mitch' and 'ex partner', it would apppear that both Gilbert and Entwistle were, and still are, in collusion. The huge amount of monies which have appeared to have found their way to Entwistle speak for the themselves. I do not hold out as much hope for the money to find its way back to the rightful owners as 'ex partner' does. Unfortunately, from personal experience, I have less confidence in our legal system being able to deliver justice - remember we are dealing with an expert in the dealings of the law!

It is a matter of public record that Gilbert purchased a house in his wifes name in the Cardiff area, after the time in which he 'went missing'. It raises the question how a man who one presumes is unable to continue in his legal career can possibly finance a mortgage and support his family without access to some other income. It certainly takes some explaining.

I would also like to respond to 'ex partners' comment where he generously suggests that Gilbert has been made a scapegoat for the demise of the company. Another interpretation for their failure could be that Gilberts evident greed has encouraged other partners to overstretch the assets of the company during more affluent times.

ignore the silly comments from the Horned God. He obviousy has a small horn

God there are some sick people out there eh rose, who know nothing about the situation as they didn't work there! We have our good and bad memories, and had very good working relationships with both clients and staff. Its a shame Willmetts is no more, but life goes on and hopefully we will look back and remember the good times, rather than the bad.
LOL