Metamorph firms facing fresh winding-up petition amidst reports of director departure

Two of the firms within the Metamorph legal consortium – MLL Limited and Beaumont ABS Limited – are said to be facing a new winding-up petition amidst claims that executive chairman Tony Stockdale has ended his directorship.

This comes as several social media posts have been made by Metamorph staff claiming that they have not been paid on time.

Metamorph first encountered difficulties earlier this year as the company’s accounts for 2021, which were due in June, never appeared.

It was then reported that the company was operating at a loss and facing nearly £12 million of debt, with staff reporting an absence of their wages as early as July, leading to Stockdale’s resignation as CEO.

The consortium, which consists of over a dozen law firms and 650 staff as well as QualitySolicitors, then faced further difficulties after MLL Limited was served a winding-up petition by HMRC in October.

Despite being in “shock” at HMRC’s action, Stockdale, at this point now executive chair, said he was “very confident of a successful outcome” and that they “remained committed to [their] strategy”.

Come November, it is now reported that Metamorph is set to close at least one of its firms, with estate agency Connells submitting a fresh winding-up petition claiming to be a creditor of specialist conveyancing practice Beaumont.

Metamorph has been approached for comment on these claims but has not yet responded.