SRA grants ABS licence to Eddie Stobart firm
updated on 26 July 2013
The Stobart Group, famous for its trucks, has been granted an alternative business structure (ABS) licence to set up a firm of solicitors. It already has a direct access barrister service.
Legal Futures reports that the Solicitors Regulation Authority has granted a licence to One Legal Ltd, which is owned by logistics giant Stobart Group. The group already owns a claims management company, an insurance broker and Stobart Barristers, as above.
Trevor Howarth, Stobart Group's legal director and the founder of Stobart Barristers, explained that Stobart could "now provide a one-stop shop for claims: it can broker the insurance, then handle the claim, deal with the litigation and provide an advocate". He also indicated that there were would be "a large announcement shortly", with speculation that Stobarts may make a bid for one of the new-style (and much opposed) criminal legal aid contracts.
