Lawyers made millions from sick miners

Lawyers made millions from sick miners

• Pair to be struck off for serious misconduct
• Firm earned £115m after misleading ill clients

The men who became two of the highest-paid solicitors in Britain by mishandling the claims of almost 100,000 sick miners will be struck off after being found guilty of misconduct yesterday.

James Beresford and Douglas Smith, partners in the South Yorkshire firm Beresfords, took advantage of vulnerable miners by putting their own commercial goals before those of their clients, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found. The company earned more than £115m under a government scheme for compensating miners with health claims, and Beresford himself made more than £16m in one year.

Sick miners' lawyers struck off

Two solicitors who took millions of pounds from compensation payouts given to sick miners have been struck off.

Comment: I don't usually say this...Lock em up and throw away the key!