The former offices of a historic Rotherham legal firm could be set for a new lease of life under plans to convert the building for residential use.
Gichard & Co. was closed down in 2015 and the property on Doncaster Gate was last used in 2016. Now a change of use planning application has been submitted that would enable it to be redeveloped and turned into flats.
Submitted by applicants, Conisbrough-based Appleby Homes Ltd, and drawn up by Plan Design Go Ltd, the plans for 31 Doncaster Gate, show nine residential units over the ground, first and second floors with services and a laundry room in the basement.
The site is opposite to the new University Campus Rotherham which is under construction and set to open in September. The adopted masterplan places a greater emphasis on living and leisure, as opposed to traditional retail uses, in continuing the regeneration of Rotherham town centre.
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The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) closed down the operations of 125-year-old Rotherham solicitors after a panel agreed that the Doncaster Gate legal firm had failed to comply with the rules made by the SRA.
The panel also investigated Charles Rhodes, senior partner at Gichard & Co and found that "there was reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Mr Rhodes." The findings meant that the SRA had grounds to intervene to protect the interests of clients and the decision was made to close the firm.
31-33 Doncaster Gate went up for sale in 2016 with property professionals, Mark Jenkinson and Co. It included accommodation over three floors totalling 2,870 sq ft and was sold as development opportunity with the potential for conversion into flats/bedsits.
The property was made available freehold with vacant possession at an asking price of £250,000.
The sale documents set out that: "the property comprises a larger pattern semi-detached/end of terrace former dwelling house thought to date back to the period around 1910, now renovated and extended in recent years and formerly occupied as offices."
Across town, another set of plans have been approved for the method of demolition and restoration of the office at Rocklands on Grove Road. The site will be restored with stones surfacing to be made available for possible redevelopment.
The actions of a partner which closed down a 125-year-old Rotherham solicitors has seen him struck off from the legal profession after a tribunal heard of acts of dishonesty, misappropriation and concealment.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which regulates more than 130,000 solicitors in England and Wales, stepped in and closed down the operations of Gichard & Co last year after an investigation into Charles Rhodes, senior partner, found that "there was reason to suspect dishonesty."
The recently published tribunal hearing shows how Rhodes, admitted to the roll of solicitors in 1991, had overcharged a client when dealing with executing a will, by over £250,000.
Investigators found a further nine cases where a total of £69,000 had been withdrawn in respect of costs for which no bills had been raised.
The first allegation involved the dealing with an estate where a total of £437,125 had been transferred from the client account to the office account but the final bill was only £170,250. Attending the tribunal in person, Rhodes was asked whether he would regard it as honest or dishonest for a solicitor to take more than three times the amount in costs that he regarded as reasonable. He replied that it was "hard to escape the conclusion, looking at it now, that it was dishonest."
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At the time however Rhodes said that he had been under considerable pressure relating to matters in his personal life as well as his own health and that he was operating on "autopilot" and was not thinking at all. The Tribunal found that the amount of money was so significant that it could not simply be regarded as overbilling.
In the case, the principal beneficiary was only 16 at the time and a beneficiary of the estate later raised concerns over the costs and instructed another solicitor to get on the case. The estate in this case was repaid in full in May 2016, the other estates had not.
The tribunal also heard that Rhodes went on to create a false client account ledger together with false bills to substantiate the entries in the ledger and concluded that this was to deceive the investigating solicitors and the regulators in order to conceal his wrongdoing in respect of the misappropriation.
Rhodes told the tribunal that he had been "manifestly stupid" and that he would always regret his actions. He agreed that he had been a "monumental fool" and for that he had taken responsibility. He added that he had no intention of returning to the legal profession.
The tribunal concluded: "This was far from an isolated incident. The misconduct had taken place on an ongoing basis over a period of 12 years during which time estates had been repeatedly and deliberately overcharged, funds had been misappropriated and concealment had followed.
"The misconduct was at the highest level and the only appropriate sanction was a Strike Off. The protection of the public and of the reputation of the profession demanded nothing less."
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which regulates more than 130,000 solicitors in England and Wales, has stepped in and closed down the operations of-125-year-old Rotherham solicitors, Gichard & Co.
The SRA is the independent regulatory body of the Law Society and regulates the conduct of solicitors and law firms to protect consumers and to support the rule of law and the administration of justice. A panel at the authority agreed that the Doncaster Gate legal firm had failed to comply with the rules made by the SRA by virtue of section 9 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985.
The panel also investigated Charles Rhodes, senior partner at Gichard & Co and found that "there was reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Mr Rhodes." As with Mr Rhodes, a decision on Jeremy Copestake, a solicitor at Gichard & Co, determined that he had failed to comply with the rules made by virtue of section 31 and 32 of the Solicitors Act 1974, which relates to practising certificates required by solicitors on the roll and working in private practice.
The findings meant that the SRA had grounds to intervene to protect the interests of clients and the decision was made to close the firm. John Owen of Gordons LLP in Bradford has been appointed as the intervening agent.
Advertisement The intervention means that Gichard & Co can no longer act for its clients and the SRA has taken all documents and papers that relate to its clients, including files and accounting records. The same goes for all money held by the firm, including its clients' money.
Leading Rotherham firm Malcolm C Foy & Co has acted quickly to offer support and help for previous Gichard clients. Conveyancing specialists or private client team members can obtain the files and take conduct over the case. A spokesperson at Malcolm C Foy & Co said: "We will guide you through the next steps ensuring your file is progressed and that the closure of Gichard & Co has no detrimental effect to your case."
