The founder of the controversial Solicitors from Hell website has finally admitted defeat after the High Court ordered him to remove the site from the internet. Rick Kordowski said he will bow out from what he described as a ‘campaign to expose apparent wrong-doing’ in the legal profession.

The High Court yesterday ordered Kordowski to ‘cease, forthwith, to publish the website solicitorsfromhell.co.uk’.

The ruling follows a Law Society court action to secure an injunction against the site. Chancery Lane had argued it needed ‘to protect its members and the best interest of the public, as the site was not a credible source of reliable information about solicitors’.

Welcoming the judgment, Society chief executive Desmond Hudson commented: ‘This website has served simply as a vehicle for pursuing personal grudges and vendettas against conscientious and reputable firms and legal professionals.

‘Far from being of any help to consumers, it has been a danger. I feared the website was directing people in real need of help away from professionals best placed to assist them.’

Kordowski told the Gazette he intends to ‘leave this matter to the next generation’ and is unlikely to relaunch the site.

He added: ‘It’s a sad day for freedom of speech and the court’s decision has deprived the public of a valuable warning system.’ He said he expects similar sites to spring up in its place.

The website has been subject to a number of legal actions for libel and accrued around £170,000 in costs handed down by the court.

The Law Society’s Hudson added: ‘If a client has a complaint about their solicitor, they should complain to the Legal Ombudsman, the body set up by the government for that purpose.’