Several solicitors’ offices linked to PM Law Group have closed across Cumbria, triggering scrutiny from the legal regulator and creating uncertainty for dozens of clients with live legal matters. The closures affect multiple towns and appear to have taken place without advance notice, raising questions about compliance with regulatory requirements governing the orderly shutdown of legal practices. This is reported by the editorial team at The WP Times, citing reporting by bbc.
Offices trading as Butterworths Solicitors in Kendal, Penrith, Carlisle and Whitehaven were found closed in recent days. At least one branch displayed a notice stating that the firm could “no longer trade” due to regulatory matters. Doors were locked during normal business hours, phones went unanswered and no alternative contact details were clearly displayed for affected clients. At the Kendal office on Stricklandgate, a handwritten notice attached to the entrance referred explicitly to regulatory issues within the wider PM Group of Businesses. The wording suggested an immediate cessation of activity rather than a managed wind-down, a distinction that carries regulatory significance under UK solicitors’ rules.
No visible evidence of prior notification to clients was found at the affected locations. Several clients told local media they had not received emails, letters or phone calls warning them that offices would close or explaining how their cases would be handled. The firm has been approached for comment. Its owner, PM Law Group, has also been contacted but had not responded at the time of publication.
Regulatory position
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) confirmed it is aware of the office closures and said the firm had not ceased trading in accordance with expected regulatory procedures. A spokesperson said the regulator would be contacting the firm’s partners to remind them of their professional obligations when a practice stops operating. These obligations include safeguarding client money held in client accounts, securing physical and digital case files, and ensuring that clients are properly informed about how their legal matters can continue without interruption.
The SRA said it was unable to provide further detail while its enquiries are ongoing. It did not confirm whether a formal intervention had been initiated but noted that intervention powers remain available where there is a risk to client interests. Under UK regulatory rules, law firms are required to follow prescribed steps when closing or materially reducing operations. These include notifying clients, arranging file transfers, accounting for client funds and cooperating fully with the regulator. Failure to do so can result in enforcement action.
Where serious concerns arise, the SRA can intervene directly, taking control of a firm’s client accounts and records and appointing agents to manage the transfer of files to alternative solicitors. Such processes can take weeks or months, depending on the complexity of the cases involved.
Impact on clients
Clients with time-sensitive matters have reported difficulties obtaining basic information about their cases, particularly in residential conveyancing, where delays can affect entire property chains. Marie Latimer, 59, a first-time buyer from Carlisle, said she had expected to complete the purchase of a property within days but has been unable to contact the firm since discovering the office was closed.
“I don’t know where my case stands,” she said.
“I don’t know where my paperwork is or what is happening with it. Everything has gone quiet at exactly the worst moment.”
Suzanne Burgess, 60, also from Carlisle, said she was in the process of selling her home when she learned that the local Butterworths office had shut.
“I am now looking for another solicitor so the sale can proceed,” she said.
“For people in longer chains, the delays could have serious consequences, including collapsed sales and financial penalties.”
Other clients reported uncertainty over where client money — such as deposits held during conveyancing — is currently located, and whether it remains accessible while regulatory issues are resolved. Sudden closures of solicitors’ practices are relatively rare but can cause significant disruption, particularly where firms handle high volumes of conveyancing, probate or litigation work. These areas often involve strict deadlines, contractual commitments and reliance on client funds held in trust.
When a firm closes without a clearly communicated transition plan, cases may stall while regulators identify where files and funds are held and ensure they are protected. During this period, clients may be unable to progress transactions or switch representation quickly. The SRA has repeatedly warned firms that poor exit planning can harm clients and undermine confidence in the legal profession. In recent years, the regulator has intervened in several firms that expanded rapidly or operated under complex group structures, where operational or compliance weaknesses later emerged.
What happens next for clients
At the time of publication, neither Butterworths Solicitors nor PM Law Group had issued a public statement explaining the nature of the regulatory issues involved or outlining arrangements for affected clients. The SRA said it would provide further information if additional regulatory action is taken. Clients are being advised to seek alternative legal representation where possible and to contact the regulator directly for guidance on accessing files, transferring cases or recovering client funds.
Background: PM Law Group and Butterworths Solicitors
PM Law Group is a UK-based legal services group that has, in recent years, operated through multiple trading names and regional offices. The group structure typically involves centralised management combined with locally branded solicitor practices, a model increasingly used in the UK legal sector to achieve scale in areas such as conveyancing and volume legal work.
Butterworths Solicitors operated as one of those regional brands in Cumbria, serving clients in Kendal, Penrith, Carlisle and Whitehaven. The firm handled a mix of residential conveyancing and general legal services, with a particular focus on property transactions — an area highly sensitive to delays and regulatory disruption. Group-based legal models have grown rapidly across England and Wales over the past decade, driven by consolidation, price competition and demand for fixed-fee services. However, regulators have warned that such structures can present compliance challenges, particularly around governance, financial controls and clarity over responsibility when problems arise.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has previously stated that firms operating within groups remain individually responsible for meeting regulatory standards, regardless of ownership or branding arrangements. When closures occur within a group, the regulator assesses whether appropriate planning, client communication and financial safeguards were in place. At present, the SRA has not publicly detailed the specific regulatory concerns relating to PM Law Group or Butterworths Solicitors. Any further action — including a formal intervention — would be announced if and when the regulator considers it necessary to protect client interests.
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