Two Leigh Day paralegals have been suspended by the law firm after allegedly touting legal services to Grenfell Tower fire victims.
The Times reported having discovered a poster bearing the names of the two legal clerks – Harnita Rai and Sejal Sachania – and their non-Leigh Day contact information along with the words “Free Legal Support”.
The poster – which also read “We do not charge for the assistance we provide. However, a third party may charge for their services.” – was reportedly posted on walls in the vicinity of Grenfell Tower. “Our aim is to help you kick-start any potential insurance claims and review any complex documents,” it said.
According to the report, the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner are examining the printed material which also featured images of British passports, supposedly to target survivors who are illegal immigrants.
“We heard quite a lot of reports of ambulance chasing in the aftermath of the fire – people were being told, ‘You need a lawyer asap, here’s a form, sign here,’” a spokesperson for the North Kensington Law Centre was quoted by the report as saying.
Leigh Day – which confirmed it has no clients connected to the tower bloc fire – said it would never have given authority for the posters or their display. Taking the matter “extremely seriously,” the law firm has launched its own investigation into Rai and Sachania’s activities.
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