Miller gardner solicitors was a Manchester-based law firm that became one of the most recognized names in payment protection insurance claims across England and Wales. The firm operated from their offices in Old Trafford and built a reputation for handling complex financial mis-selling cases before closing in 2019.
Information Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Firm Name | Miller Gardner Solicitors LLP |
| Location | 497 Chester Road, Old Trafford, Manchester |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Closed | 2019 |
| Main Practice Area | Payment Protection Insurance Claims |
| Notable Case | Plevin v Paragon Personal Finance |
| Cases Transferred To | Rowan Rose Solicitors |
| Reason for Closure | Financial difficulties with lender Invicta Capital Management |
| Amount Owed | £500,000 |
| Staff Made Redundant | 13 employees |
The History of Miller Gardner Solicitors
Miller gardner solicitors started operating in 1993 and quickly established themselves as experts in consumer credit law. The firm was located at 497 Chester Road in Old Trafford, Manchester, serving clients throughout England and Wales for more than 25 years.
The firm employed between 11 and 50 staff members during its operation, including qualified solicitors, legal assistants, and administrative personnel. Their team focused heavily on building knowledge in financial services litigation, particularly in cases where banks and lenders had treated customers unfairly.
During their years of operation, the firm handled thousands of cases related to mis-sold financial products. They became particularly well-known for their work on PPI claims, which became one of the largest financial scandals in British history.
Main Areas of Legal Practice
Payment Protection Insurance Claims
The primary focus of miller gardner solicitors was helping people recover money from mis-sold payment protection insurance policies. PPI was sold alongside loans, credit cards, and mortgages, supposedly to cover repayments if someone became ill, lost their job, or died. However, millions of policies were sold to people who did not need them, could not claim on them, or were not told the full truth about what they were buying.
The firm handled both standard PPI claims and more complex cases involving undisclosed commission payments. Their work in this area led to them becoming recognized as leaders in the field, with other law firms seeking their training and advice on how to handle similar cases.
Property Transactions
Beyond their PPI work, the firm offered conveyancing services for people buying, selling, or remortgaging properties. This service helped clients navigate the legal process of property ownership transfer, including searches, contracts, and completion procedures.
Personal Injury Cases
The firm represented clients who had been injured in accidents and needed to claim compensation. These cases covered workplace injuries, road traffic accidents, and other incidents where someone else’s actions or negligence caused harm.
Criminal Defense
Miller gardner solicitors also handled criminal law matters, representing clients facing charges for various offenses. This included road traffic offenses, theft, assault, fraud, and other criminal allegations in the Manchester courts.
Road Traffic Law
The firm specialized in defending drivers charged with motoring offenses, including speeding, drink driving, driving without insurance, and more serious charges like dangerous driving.
The Plevin Case: A Landmark Victory
The most significant achievement of miller gardner solicitors was their representation of Mrs Susan Plevin in her case against Paragon Personal Finance. This case became one of the most important consumer credit decisions in UK legal history and changed how PPI claims were assessed across the country.
Case Background
Mrs Plevin took out a loan from Paragon Personal Finance and was sold a PPI policy alongside it. The total cost of the PPI was £5,780. What Mrs Plevin did not know was that £4,150 of this amount – representing 71.8% of the premium – was paid out in commission to the broker and lender.
The broker received £4,150, and Paragon kept an additional portion. Mrs Plevin was never told about these commission arrangements when she bought the policy. She only found out years later when she made a complaint about the PPI.
The Legal Battle
The case went through multiple levels of the UK court system:
County Court: The initial judge ruled against Mrs Plevin, saying that lenders did not have to tell customers about commission payments.
High Court: Paragon appealed a later decision, and the High Court also ruled that non-disclosure of commission was not unfair under consumer credit law.
Court of Appeal: Miller gardner solicitors took the case to the Court of Appeal, arguing that such large undisclosed commission payments created an unfair relationship under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Supreme Court: Finally, in 2014, the case reached the Supreme Court, which ruled in Mrs Plevin’s favor. The court decided that failing to tell customers about commission of 71.8% was unfair and gave customers grounds to claim their money back.
Impact of the Decision
| Before Plevin | After Plevin |
|---|---|
| Commission disclosure not required | High commission rates must be disclosed |
| Only unsuitable PPI could be claimed | Undisclosed commission became grounds for claims |
| Rejected complaints stayed rejected | Old complaints could be reopened on commission grounds |
| Limited grounds for claims | New category of “Plevin claims” created |
The Supreme Court ruling opened up a whole new category of PPI complaints. Even people whose complaints had previously been rejected could now make fresh claims if they had not been told about large commission payments.
This decision led to banks and lenders paying out billions more in compensation over the following years. The ruling applied to any PPI policy where commission was above 50% and had not been disclosed to the customer.
Training and Education Work
Miller gardner solicitors did not just handle cases for their own clients. The firm became known for providing training to other law firms across the UK on consumer credit legislation and PPI claim litigation.
This training work demonstrated the depth of knowledge the firm had built up over years of handling these cases. Other solicitors would pay to attend training sessions where the team would share their strategies, case law knowledge, and practical tips for handling PPI claims.
The firm’s directors spoke at legal conferences and wrote articles for legal publications, further establishing their reputation as experts in this field.
Financial Difficulties and Closure
Despite their legal successes, miller gardner solicitors faced serious financial challenges that ultimately led to the firm closing.
The Funding Agreement
In August 2017, the firm entered into a funding arrangement with Invicta Capital Management. This type of arrangement is common in litigation firms, where a funder provides money upfront to help with case costs, and gets repaid from successful cases.
Under this agreement, miller gardner solicitors could draw down £1,000 per case from Invicta. In return, they had to pay Invicta a fee of £300 per case, which became due either when they received payment from a successful case or after 12 months, whichever came first.
The total facility provided by Invicta was £500,000.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 2017 | Funding agreement signed with Invicta Capital Management |
| 2018-2019 | Firm struggles to meet repayment terms |
| 2019 | Invicta calls in the £500,000 debt |
| 2019 | Firm enters administration |
| 2019 | Work in progress sold to Rowan Rose Solicitors |
| 2019 | 13 staff members made redundant |
What Went Wrong
Several factors contributed to the firm’s financial problems:
Changing Market: The Financial Conduct Authority announced that PPI claims had to be made by 29 August 2019. This deadline meant that the pipeline of new cases would stop, affecting future income.
Cash Flow Issues: Litigation firms often wait months or years to get paid for successful cases. If cases take longer than expected or success rates drop, cash flow problems can develop quickly.
Repayment Terms: The requirement to pay Invicta £300 per case within 12 months meant the firm needed to convert cases to successful outcomes quickly. Any delays in case resolution would create financial pressure.
Competition: As more firms entered the PPI market, competition increased and success fees may have been squeezed, making it harder to maintain profitability.
The Administration Process
When Invicta called in the debt, the firm had to appoint administrators. Three offers were received to purchase the firm’s work in progress. The accepted offer was for £40,000 paid over 10 months, plus 20% of recoveries from one large case that was expected to bring in around £250,000.
Administration documents showed that Invicta was unlikely to recover all the money owed to them. Other creditors were expected to receive little or nothing from the administration.
What Happened to Client Cases
When miller gardner solicitors closed, the most important question for clients was what would happen to their cases. The firm’s work in progress was purchased by Rowan Rose Solicitors, a financial litigation firm based in Salford, Greater Manchester.
Rowan Rose took over the ongoing cases, meaning clients could continue with their claims under new representation. However, the transition period caused stress and uncertainty for many clients who had built relationships with their case handlers at Miller Gardner.
Steps Clients Should Take
If You Had an Ongoing Case:
- Contact Rowan Rose Solicitors directly to ask about your case status
- Check for any letters sent during 2019 about the transfer
- Have your case reference number ready when making contact
- Ask for copies of your file if you need them
If You Need Your File:
- Contact Rowan Rose Solicitors first as they bought the work in progress
- If unsuccessful, contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
- The SRA intervened in the closure and can help you access documents
- You have a legal right to your case file
If You Think You Were Owed Money:
- Check if your case had succeeded before the firm closed
- Contact Rowan Rose to find out if any money was recovered
- The SRA can advise on any funds held when the firm closed
The Key People Behind the Firm
Rodney Gardner
Rodney Gardner was one of the directors of miller gardner solicitors and played a key role in the firm’s PPI litigation work. After the firm closed, Mr Gardner continued working in the legal field through his own consultancy.
He now operates Gardner Private Consulting, where he describes himself as the only claimant solicitor offering specialized training for PPI claims litigation. He offers CPD (Continuing Professional Development) courses for other lawyers on handling PPI cases, including Plevin claims.
Mr Gardner’s work demonstrates that the knowledge built up during the firm’s operation continues to be used in training the next generation of consumer credit lawyers.
The Broader Context of PPI Claims
To understand the significance of miller gardner solicitors, you need to understand the PPI scandal that became the backdrop for their work.
The Scale of the Problem
Between 1990 and 2010, UK banks sold around 45 million PPI policies. Many of these policies were mis-sold, meaning they were sold to people who:
- Did not need the cover
- Could not claim on the policy due to exclusions
- Were not told about the full cost
- Were not told about commission arrangements
- Already had insurance that covered the same risks
Total Compensation Paid
By the time the PPI deadline arrived in August 2019, banks had paid out over £38 billion in compensation to customers. This made it the largest consumer scandal in British financial history.
Why the Deadline Was Set
The Financial Conduct Authority set the August 2019 deadline to bring an end to PPI claims. Banks argued that the constant flow of claims was making it difficult to plan their finances and move on from the scandal. Consumer groups argued that many people still did not know they could claim.
The deadline meant that any firm heavily dependent on PPI work, including miller gardner solicitors, needed to adapt their business model or face closure.
Lessons for Clients Choosing a Law Firm
The story of miller gardner solicitors offers important lessons for anyone choosing legal representation:
Check Financial Stability
While you cannot access detailed financial information about law firms, you can:
- Look for firms that have been established for many years
- Check if they handle a variety of case types, not just one area
- Ask about what would happen to your case if the firm faced difficulties
- Read reviews from recent clients
Verify Registration
Always check that any solicitor is registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority. You can search the SRA register online for free. This confirms the firm is authorized to practice and has professional indemnity insurance.
Get Information in Writing
Make sure you receive written terms of business explaining:
- What the firm will do for you
- How much it will cost
- What happens if the firm cannot continue with your case
- How long the case is expected to take
- What your obligations are
Keep Your Own Records
Maintain copies of all important documents and correspondence. If a firm closes, having your own records makes it much easier to continue your case with another solicitor.
The Current Status
Miller gardner solicitors is no longer operating. The firm was dissolved following the administration process in 2019. The company is no longer registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority and cannot take on new clients.
Former clients who need information about past cases should contact Rowan Rose Solicitors or the SRA for assistance.
Anyone searching for the firm should be aware that any website or contact details found online are no longer active. Do not send money or documents to addresses or accounts associated with the old firm.
Alternative Legal Services in Manchester
For people who were looking for services similar to those offered by miller gardner solicitors, Manchester has many other law firms that can help:
For Consumer Claims: While the PPI deadline has passed, other consumer claims may still be possible. Firms specializing in consumer law can advise on options.
For Property Work: Dozens of conveyancing solicitors operate in Manchester, offering competitive fees for buying, selling, and remortgaging.
For Criminal Defense: Many criminal law specialists practice in Manchester, with experience in the local courts.
For Personal Injury: Personal injury solicitors typically work on no-win-no-fee agreements, making their services accessible.
Conclusion
Miller gardner solicitors played a significant role in UK consumer law through their work on payment protection insurance claims. Their representation of Mrs Plevin led to a Supreme Court decision that changed how banks had to treat customers and resulted in billions of pounds being returned to consumers who had been kept in the dark about commission payments.
The firm operated successfully for over 25 years before financial difficulties related to a funding agreement led to closure in 2019. While the firm is no longer operating, their legal work continues to have an impact, and their former director continues to train other lawyers in the field.
For anyone who was a client of the firm, cases were transferred to Rowan Rose Solicitors, and help is available through the SRA for accessing files and information. The story serves as a reminder of both the important work specialist law firms can do and the financial challenges that can arise when firms depend heavily on one type of case in a changing market.
