Alerts
Warning: Documents misusing the name of Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited (trading as CEL Solicitors)
20 February 2025
Documents have been sent misusing the name of Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited (trading as CEL Solicitors).
What is the scam?
Documents have been sent misusing the name of Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited (trading as CEL Solicitors).
The SRA has seen documents titled 'Client Retainer Agreement for Fund Recovery Services' and another titled 'Fee Coverage Agreement (Interest free loan agreement) which have been sent to a member of the public in respect of a recovery of funds. The documents seen by the SRA misuse the name of a genuine solicitor and the name, SRA number, logo, address and website link of a genuine firm of solicitors (see below). The document also gave the email address 'Oscar.eliot@celltd.uk'.
The SRA understands that the member of the public was told that individuals called 'Oscar Eliott' and then 'Leo Goldman' were dealing with his case.
The SRA does not authorise or regulate individuals called Oscar Eliot and Leo Goldman.
Any business or transactions through the emails '@celltd.uk' or through 'Oscar Eliot' or 'Leo Goldman' is not undertaken by an individual or firm of solicitors authorised and regulated by the SRA.
Is there a genuine firm or person?
The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Cheshire Estate & Legal Limited trading as CEL whose address is 12th Floor, 20 Chapel Street, Liverpool, L3 9AG. The email domain used by the firm is @celsolicitors.co.uk. The genuine website address is www.celsolicitors.co.uk and the telephone number is 0151 909 8212. The genuine firm's SRA number is 633955
The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Paul Hampson who is the Director of Cheshire Estate & Legal Limited.
Cheshire Estate and Legal Limited has confirmed they do not have any connection to the email and documents referred to in the above alert.
What should I do?
When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.
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