A grieving daughter from Cornwall has been left in financial limbo and unable to access her late father's estate after the solicitors' firm handling the probate suddenly ceased trading.
A Legacy Locked Away
The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous and is from Falmouth, saw her probate application grind to a halt this month. She received an abrupt email from Samuel Phillips Law stating it had stopped trading, offering no explanation. Her father died in July in harrowing circumstances, and the application was nearing completion.
She has since instructed new solicitors, but Samuel Phillips Law retains her crucial file and is not responding to calls or emails. As a self-employed individual who was unable to work during her father's illness, she has exhausted her funds. She cannot access her father's legacy or even confirm if the estate falls below the inheritance tax threshold because the firm is effectively holding the necessary paperwork hostage.
Regulator Steps In After Suspected Dishonesty
An investigation revealed the firm was shut down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which also closed a sister firm, Hathaways. Both were run by the same individual, Sufe Miah. The SRA stated it had reason to suspect dishonesty on Miah's part in connection with his practice and acted to protect clients.
Staff and trainee solicitors at both companies lost their jobs without warning. The SRA has appointed Gordons LLP in Bradford, with John Owen acting as the stand-in agent, to manage the fallout for affected clients.
Action Taken, But Delays Loom for Others
When the SRA was alerted to this specific case, it moved swiftly. The woman was contacted immediately by the agent and received electronic copies of her files. The SRA will hold paperwork from closed cases, such as deeds and wills, in its archive and will disburse any funds retrieved from client accounts.
However, the new solicitors had initially warned that complaining to the regulator could take months, highlighting a potential lengthy ordeal for others caught in the collapse. The SRA urges other affected clients to contact the appointed agent directly.
The experience has left the daughter feeling hopeless and alone, buckling under the dual weight of grief and bureaucratic red tape at a young age, while being an only child dealing with the estate.
