Personally Injured; Teakle Ormsby Conn Lawyers in Bother

A few weeks ago we received the following comments from an anonymous spy:

Teakle Ormsby Conn has folded – I heard that Michael Conn may have been struck off and there are no or very few practising Solicitors available to sign off on any work. Staff apparently don’t actually know of Michael’s predicament and they all think that he will be back soon. For the moment, I’ve heard rumours they are fielding calls from angry clients, fellow practitioners and experts who are demanding money, work done on files, or waiting for responses.

Given the scarcity of reportage on this alleged collapse, we made this one of the rare instances that we

actually picked up the phone to call the firm to see whether we might corroborate the rumours. Unfortunately, no one answered our calls and therefore we cannot offer much more by way of background.

However, the following message currently appears on the Teakle Ormsby Conn website:

Legal Profession & Workers Compensation Amendment (Advertising) Regulation 2005

Teakle Ormsby Conn is unable to provide information regarding Personal Injury Law or Workers Compensation to anybody residing within New South Wales (NSW) or Queensland (QLD) – unless you are an existing client of Teakle Ormsby Conn.

If you are an existing client of Teakle Ormsby Conn residing within NSW or QLD, click here.

Otherwise, we apologise for any inconvenience but we are happy to answer any questions you may have – simply phone us on the number below or send your enquiry via email to teakle@teakle.com.au.

There can be little argument that there is something of a stigma attached to personal injury law. Even to the uninitiated it conjures images of suited lawyers chasing ambulances, although we concede that this is a more likely perception in the US,

What is certain, however, is that the repeated infractions and misbehaviours of domestic personal injury firms is doing little to enhance public perceptions of personal injury lawyers and, more broadly, perceptions of lawyers generally in Australia.

In little over 18 months the following things have happened:

• Brydens Compensation Lawyers was labelled “woeful” by the NSW Court of Appeal and was forced to foot the bill of three separate court hearings (yes – the FIRM had to pay costs!)

• repeated allegations were levelled at personal injury firm Keddies Lawyers that it overcharged clients and incurred unnecssary costs only to later bill them to a client;

• a male lawyer from Keddies Lawyers was convicted of assaulting a female police officer but not before exclaiming “I don’t have to do anything… I’m a solicitor!”;

• allegations were made that the CEO of Brydens Compensation Lawyers was embroiled in the Japanese Car Sale Harassment Debacle; and

• Hollywood has-been Erin Brokovich joined Shine Lawyers in an effort to drum up some publicity for the firm from mums and dads labouring under the misapprehension that she can help them win their personal injury case. Durrrrrr… she has no legal training and cannot practice here! Of course, this doesn’t stop the team at Shine placing the following advert on its website which we would characterise as seriously misleading to those thinking she would be handling their legal affairs:

Hi I’m Erin Brokovich

For over 15 years I’ve fought on behalf of innocent people who have suffered harm at the hands of irresponsible companies. Now I’m working with Shine Lawyers, a firm who shares my passion for taking on tough cases.

Shine Lawyers have been fighting for Australians just like you for over 30 years. I work with them and I trust them. They stand up for clients like you every day. They take this responsibility very seriously. Every aspect of their firm is geared toward ensuring you have a positive experience and achieve the best possible outcome – in and out of the courtroom.

If you need someone tough on your side in a legal battle please give them a call on 13 11 99 or email enquiries (at) shine.com.au.

Have we reached the point where we can’t start to make generalisations about personal injury lawyers in Australia? Will these perceptions/generalisations eventually become more deeply entrenched and thrust upon all lawyers alike, as they appear to have in the US?

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