A law firm has been told by The Times newspaper to stop claiming it is endorsed by the paper.

For over four years, Chester-based Jolliffe & Co boasted that The Times and The Sunday Times recommend it, when in fact the firm just paid for adverts. 

In a post on its website headed, "Jolliffe & Co, moving with the Times...and indeed, The Sunday Times", the firm stated that a "welcome endorsement" had been given by the papers "following extensive research". Apparently, Jolliffes was "approached" to be the papers' "endorsed legal provider in the Northwest". The firm claimed the accolade allowed it to add "the prestigious 'in association with The Times and The Sunday Times'" to its website, stationery and promotional material.

    "Lower the flag, we've been rumbled." 

The post even quoted Peter Overmeer, the firm's 'Partnership Administrator', babbling that, "we look forward to working with our new partners in the coming months". He said, "it is not every day that newspapers of the pedigree of The Times and The Sunday Times single out firms such as Jolliffe & Co for endorsement"

In fact it is not any day that they do it. The Times' feedback editor confirmed that the paper never endorsed Jolliffe & Co as its legal provider in the Northwest or anywhere else. In reality, she said, Jolliffes "were advertisers in our Business City Guide for nine months back in 2013, but that did not imply any endorsement". She said that the blog, along with logos, had now been removed from the firm's site, presumably on pain of legal action. Listen carefully and you can hear Overmeer pulping notebooks and burning umbrellas.

     

Asked why the firm claimed it was endorsed when it wasn't, Managing Partner Simon Williams told RollOnFriday, "We paid a third party company in respect of the same. The Times have said they no longer engage said third party. I will not comment further on this matter". Best not.
Tip Off ROF

Comments

Anonymous 06 October 17 11:57

Yup, just the kind of straightforward lawyers most people are looking for. Hard to see how the SRA can't be interested in this...

Anonymous 06 October 17 12:13

Poor suckers. Receive this sort of thing all the time from the separate companies that flog advertising in the "Business City Guides" or various other inserts in national press. Jollife & Co were probably lured by the fact that they were "one of a few firms being invited" to advertise - but they really really REALLY played up the non-existent link to The Times and were rightly told off!

Anonymous 18 October 17 16:04

Good Luck!
July 8, 2013
The application date for our recent position has now passed, good luck to all of those who applied. Please visit our 'Vacancies' page regularly to find out if there's a job opportunity with your name on it. Jolliffe & Co is a great place to be, even the Sunday Times thinks so (more details to follow on this one, but we are delighted).

Still on the website. other vacancies also.