Beachcroft restructures claims practice

Law firm Beachcroft has restructured its claims division, creating a new senior management and establishing 11 specialist product lines.

Under the new management structure, James Morris becomes chairman of claims solutions.

Duncan Rutter has been appointed claims solutions practice head and operations director with Paul Parke as technical director and Rhod Richards as business development director.

The 11 specialist product lines, each led by a partner or associate, cover the following areas: catastrophic personal injury (claims valued at over £500,000), credit hire, disease, motor, property, strategic litigation, costs, claims validation, casualty (employers' liability and public liability), safety, health & environment and all pre-litigation work.

The firm has also decided that its high volume personal injury business, handled by its Newport office under the B2 from Beachcroft brand, should be fully integrated into Beachcroft. As a result, the B2 brand will phased out by 1 May 2011.

In addition, the firm has promoted Bristol associate Ailsa Roberts to partner and appointed her as cperations manager in Newport with effect from 1 December.

Morris said: “Our objective in establishing this new structure is two-fold: to assist our clients’ overall reduction in indemnity spend while achieving greater effectiveness and efficiency in how we allocate and handle the claims, so as to maintain our position as one of the UK’s leading insurance practices and compete effectively in what has become an extremely competitive market."

He added: “Pressure to cut legal spend is acute and likely to become even fiercer in this area of claims work, once the first alternative business structures are licensed in 2011.”