Pearson secures Protective Award for Metamorph Employees

Partner and Employment Law Solicitor Alan Lewis at Pearson Solicitors has secured a judgment for the claimants against Metamorph Group Services Ltd (“MGSL”).

MGSL was a group service company that serviced various law firms that were closed down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”) in December 2022.  It provided marketing, compliance, IT, finance, and HR services to all law firms in its group.

Protective Award Tribunal

The Employment Tribunal ruled in favour of the 70 employees (claimants), awarding a Protective Award cumulatively valued at approximately £570,000.

A Protective Award is an award of compensation of up to 90 days’ gross pay, which can be awarded by an Employment Tribunal when an employee fails to collectively inform and consult its workforce of twenty or more employees from the same establishment that they have been dismissed on the grounds of redundancy.

Metamorph Group Liquidation

On 29 November 2022, the majority of employees were informed that MGSL was being placed into voluntary liquidation, that liquidators had been appointed and their employment was being terminated with immediate effect.

There was no consultation with the claimants and no advanced warning or notice was given. The Tribunal ruled this was in breach of section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (“TULRCA”).

Protective Award Solicitor

Alan Lewis led the group claim on the basis that the correct redundancy procedures were not followed upon receiving the judgment:

“This is a real triumph for the claimants and on a personal level, this is particularly satisfying as many of the claimants are former colleagues of mine who were employed to support Linder Myers Solicitors, one of the numerous law firm brands that collapsed as part of the group.”

Alan added, “Now the judgment has been issued, the Protective Award Claim team at Pearson are taking steps to ensure that each claimant receives that part of their award that is guaranteed by the government’s Redundancy Payments Service.”

How can we help

Pearson Solicitors specialise in helping redundant employees make claims. For legal advice on employee rights or making a protective award claim contact our employment law solicitors on 0161 785 3500 or email enquiries@pearsonlegal.co.uk.

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Please note that the information and opinions contained in this article are not intended to be comprehensive, nor to provide legal advice. No responsibility for its accuracy or correctness is assumed by Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers Ltd or any of its members or employees. Professional legal advice should be obtained before taking, or refraining from taking, any action as a result of this article.