This review is for a different branch.
Avoid, terrible service, terrible communication
It was start to finish atrocious. On first contact I spoke with Kathleen Erin Lawson, who took the case on a no win, no fee but asked for £500approx for what I now know was for a third party to look at medical notes. She advised if supportive the case would proceed. It was supportive, however the next problem was the insurance company Thorntons usewouldn't provide insurance. She asked for another 800approx to pay for another expert report. At this point I decided this was enough. I then contacted her to ask for files to look for another solicitor. She then advised that they had another insurance company now, and it sounded more promising so I went with them again and was persuaded to pay for this report. I paid and again she said if it was supportive things would progress. It was supportive so she said she would issue court proceedings at last. 2 years forward at this point. It took 8 months for the report despite it supposedly only needed weeks. I was told the papers were now being submitted for court by Kathleen-Erin. At last I thought. However then I was told a Michelle Adam had them, it was never mentioned to me that anyone other than Kathleen Erin had any say in events . I had never spoken or heard anything about her in all the time I was with them. This Michelle Adam had decided not to put the papers in. She then got wrong information from an SAER which every lawyer knows is corrupt. She wrote something completely untrue and worse than that pulled the case and despite medical reports and records stating a permanent disability was there. She closed the case and wished a full recovery. How insulting and crass can one person be. I know from her comment that, she never read the file or report thoroughly as no professional would wish someone with a permanent disability a full recovery. It's vile. I also found out after seeing the full file that Kathleen Erin went outwith the firm for an Advocate sending several emails to outside agencies, then bizarrely giving the caefile to a colleague in Michelle Adam's who I have been told is not a full time practicing Advocate. I can only presume that by going outwith her own firm, she did not have faith in her own colleague, before settling for Michelle Adam's. I also seen in the file that Michelle Adam's spoke to the expert witness about another case whereby the person had cancer and wasn't offered a biopsy which I feel is not appropriate. I believe this made her biased in our case as the opposite happened in our case which caused a permanent disability to a 19 year old. She let one case impact another in her views and it is not appropriate to discuss a different case from the one you are supposed to discuss. Without seeing the full file I would not this. I wrote a complaint to Claire MacPherson as it states on the website 'client resolutions'. However I then called and was curtly told she doesn't know when the complaint will be investigated. I never received any reply and that was months ago and before I got the file and was aware of the above facts. It appears that all of the partners are 'client resolution '. As in, they all investigate each other complaints. The equivalent to investigating your friend. Very professional and independent not. I can't say one positive thing about Thorntons. I wasn't listened to, overspoken and at times had to chase by email or call just to get an answer to a 1 question I asked in 2 years. Something I now know I got the wrong answer to by Kathleen Erin. I seen at least one other review with the same named solicitor at centre. I don't think it's a coincidence at all. My experience was awful from communication to wrong information to complaints negotiations. I deliberately wrote to resolution before I put this review on to give a chance to investigate. However it's been months and no response. In addition after viewing the file there were other issues I wasn't aware of at the time of the complaint. I'd stay clear of any company taking on a no win, no fee that asks for money upfront to pay to do their dirty work. Ie reading medical notes. I paid for this thinking this is normal practice. It is not normal practice.
In my opinion they talk down to clients and have absolutely no compassion for their clients. They drop you at a whim by letter with no telephone contact or discussion. Kathleen Erin had no requirement to involve Michelle Adam. Again I found this out afterwards. Had she decided to try harder for an outside Advocate senior Advocate, Michelle Adam's would not have been involved at all. She was only recruited in a ' last resort way. I viewed emails in the file whereby she was asked if she wanted jnr or snr Counsel. Kathleen Erin replied Jnr first. Someone's life / trauma and fight fir justice in her hands and she just picks anyone, the cheapest. She then just settled on the one in her own office who ruined the case.
I can't speak for every solicitor in Thorntons, however the ones I encountered were completely devoid of compassion and had inflated egos to the point where they were unable to listen or even care enough to let someone other than themselves speak. Driven by ego and the need to weild power over people they see as beneath them. I think they forget the money they gain in cases comes from a person who has suffered serious trauma / injury or worse. They don't care an inch for even basic open communication. I was made to feel at one point like I shouldn't even have brought the case, this was before the export report when she seemed to change her manner. I won't put on here what was said but it was awful.
