Phone Hacking And Turf Wars...The Year in Claims

Here at Solomonic we know that data tells a story.  We’ve created a visual race between the claimant law firms based on the number of claims brought across 2020 (January to November).  And some of the high-fliers can, in part, thank the strangest of years for their success.  

Clyde & Co galloped into an early lead and pretty much stayed there, looking destined to take first place with a total of 63 claims: a steady run with core strengths, not least insurance and construction, featuring strongly.  

The pace slowed as the first lockdown impacted activity in April and early May. Clyde were challenged for top spot briefly in the same month when Hamlins appeared from nowhere on the back of a raft of phone-hacking claims brought by A (and B and C) -list celebrities against News Group; but Hamlins were ultimately beaten into fifth place on 35 claims. This was partly because of late rallies from DAC Beachcroft (46, third) and Mischon de Reya (43, fourth). Mischon were slow starters until mid-year when aggrieved landlords brought a string of unpaid lockdown rent claims against inter alia, H&M Hennes, Mecca Bingo and Sports Direct. 

DAC Beachcroft too have spent most of the year hovering further back, only to leap into second place with a glut of similar actions brought by Stratford Shopping Centre and others against such high-street stalwarts as Boots, HugoBoss and Pret A Manger. It’s certainly been different, and we still have December to go. We’ll keep our eye on this race to the finish line.