Asons

Asons Solicitors, a subsidiary of the Asons Group, was a British law firm based in the town of Bolton, Greater Manchester, in the North West of England, approximately 15 miles (24 km) north-west of Manchester.

Asons
HeadquartersBolton, England
No. of attorneys6[1]
No. of employees84[2]
Major practice areasIndustrial Disease, Medical Negligence, Complex Disease, Road traffic Accident
Key peopleImran Akram (Chief Executive Officer)
Kamran Akram (Principal Director)
Bilal Akram (Compliance Director)
RevenueGB £13.5 million (2014)[3]
Date founded2008[4]
FounderImran Akram, Kamran Akram, Irfan Akram
Company typeLimited Company
DissolvedBankruptcy/Breaching SRA Guidelines
Websiteasons.co.uk

Dissolved

Asons was recently dissolved by the family after Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) intervened and took charge of all their assets which led them to cease trading, with Imran & Kamran Akram leaving the business.[5] The Alternative Business Structure (ABS) which TUPE'd staff across to a law firm founded by brother, Irfan Akram known as Coops Law was also intervened and ceased trading as of 23 June 2017.[6]

The firm employed approximately 84 employees. Its turnover in 2014 was approximately £13.5 million, a 40% increase from the previous year.[7] Asons was the biggest employer in Bolton town centre.[8]

History

Asons Solicitors was a family run firm which was founded in 2008 by brothers, Imran and Kamran Akram, working from a converted terrace house with just three employees to approximately 300 in five years.[9] It provided legal services clients across the UK. Asons was joined in 2014 by younger brother, Bilal Akram, as a Compliance Director.

Areas of practice

Asons Solicitors was one of the largest law firms[10] in the North West specialising in Immigration, personal injury claims, industrial injury claims, and medical negligence cases.

Redundancies

Asons Solicitors went under a restructure in December 2015 which saw it make a significant number of redundancies along with cancelling the construction of their £8 million HQ.[11]

Asons in the news
  • Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal – In May 2018, Kamran Akram was cleared of dishonesty in all charges where it was alleged.[12]
  • Asons came under fire from receiving a £300,000 payment towards the cost of renovating their new offices.[13] A freedom of Information request was raised by Mr Bonfield which was anticipated by the public.[14]

Charity and education

Asons Solicitors has created a separate entity, Asons Foundation, which headed up all the charitable work carried out.

The Foundation has links with Bolton College and Bolton University and it continues developing an ongoing graduate scheme.[15][16]

Asons actively supported charities local and further afield, such as Bolton Hospice,[17] Urban Outreach,[18] Bolton School Youth Cricket,[19] the Bolton RUFC under-16 rugby team,[20] and the Bolton Wanderers football club.[21]

Awards

Asons has been honoured with numerous awards including:

  • The Sunday Times Best Companies Award 2013. ('Best Companies to Work For' accreditation)[22]
  • Customer Service Excellence Award.
  • The Lexcel Practice Management Award: 2008 – Present.
  • Investors in People Gold Award: 2008–Present.[23]
  • Red Ribbon's Family Business Place award, 2014.[24]
  • The Skills For Business Award: 2014.[25]
  • E3 High Growth Business of the Year – Finalist: 2014.[26]
  • The Sunday Times: Top 100 Best Companies to Work For.[27]

References
  1. "Solicitors at Asons". The Law Society. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  2. "Number of Employees". The Bolton News. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  3. "Insider Media – Asons turnover climbs 40 per cent despite Jackson". Insider Media. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  4. "Asons – About Us". LinkedIn. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  5. "SRA shuts down Asons". Legal Futures. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  6. "Coops Law – SRA Intervention". Stephensons Solicitors. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  7. "Increase in Turnover". Insider Media. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  8. "Biggest Employer in Bolton Town Centre". Asian Media Awards. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  9. "Law Firm's family Values Founded 2008". The Bolton News. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  10. "Asons Solicitors reveals 8,000% growth". Legal Futures. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  11. https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/1000808.subject
  12. "Council accused of running 'dictatorship' after secretly approving £300,000 grant to town centre law firm". Bolton News. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  13. "Grant to Asons Solicitors". WhatDoTheyKnow. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  14. "A developing partnership between Bolton College and Asons". Bolton College. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  15. "Partners: Asons". Bolton College. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  16. "Asons Solicitors Join Our Patrol Scheme". Bolton Hospice. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  17. "Motivational quotes, free bacon sandwiches and hot drinks for Asons employees". The Bolton News. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  18. "Asons Cricket Reports". Bolton School. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  19. "Bolton Solicitors firm sponsors Bolton RUFC's under-16 rugby team". The Bolton News. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  20. "Asons Sponsors Bolton Wanderers". Asian Image. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  21. "Looking after staff puts Asons on list of top firms". Asian Image. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  22. "Asons Solicitors are premier sponsors". Asian Image. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  23. "Customer First Award". Family Business Place. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  24. "Financial and Professional Services Skills for business award". Skills For Business. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  25. "Finalists Have Been Announced". E3 Business Awards North West. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  26. "Top 100 Best companies to Work For". The Sunday TImes. Retrieved 27 February 2015.

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