A top Manchester law firm is facing High Court allegations it failed a businessman client over a £1m land deal. Court papers allege that a paralegal at Abbey Solicitors, Nick Henesy - working under the supervision of the law firm's owner and founder Nadeem Ullah - lodged a 'deed of priority' which effectively diverted funds into a company Mr Henesy controlled.
A former client of Abbey, David Rose, 58, says only £200,000 was ever paid and that he has lost almost £800,000 on the deal. He has lodged a High Court claim against Abbey, alleging 'negligence and breach of fiduciary duty'. He claims he has lost his life savings in the dispute. The law firm denies his allegations but has failed in a bid to persuade a judge to throw out his claim.
The dispute concerns a plot of land on Bury Old Road in Broughton Park which has been granted planning permission for the building of 12 town houses. In the claim lodged at the High Court in Manchester, David Rose and a Cyprus-registered company he controlled, Karunia Holdings, jointly allege Abbey Solicitors advised him on the sale of the land despite 'substantial conflict of interests'.
