Exclusive: Partner who injuncted his own firm goes through two more
02 November 2012
A partner who injuncted his own firm after he was put on gardening leave has ended up at his fifth firm in two years.

Peter Williams was an agricultural specialist at Burges Salmon for 30 years, until he left two years ago to set up his own outfit. But he wasn't in the wilderness for long: after a few months he moved to local competitor Wilsons, taking several other lawyers with him.

But barely a year was out before both he and fellow Burges Salmon émigrée Viv Williams (no relation) were asked to leave Wilsons and put on gardening leave. But they refused to go quietly and injuncted the firm in a bid to be allowed to return to work. The saga rumbled on until finally Mr Justice Briggs told them to sling their hook. He held that Wilsons were concerned that Peter Williams and other partners were going to "leave and intended, if they could do so by negotiations or otherwise, to take the whole of the Bristol office, its practice, goodwill, work in progress and staff into a new firm separate from Wilsons".

It was all rather embarrassing for the Williams pair, as they continued on their Flying Dutchman-like wandering. They moved to Veale Wasbrough Vizards as consultants, but only for a few weeks. They have now both emerged at Michelmores as partners.

Peter Williams looking for work yesterday

 
A spokeswoman for Michelmores confirmed that Peter Williams was still involved in litigation against Wilsons but wouldn't provide any further comment. Nor would she comment on speculation that a bunch of Wilsons lawyers might be joining the Williams, other than to say that the firm "is inevitably involved in discussions with a number of partners at any one time".