The former chief executive of membership network Connect2Law and Pannone Affinity has become a partner at Parabis Law.

David Jabbari, who resigned last year from Connect2Law owner Pannone after its acquisition by Slater & Gordon, will seek to establish another franchise network of law firms on behalf of Parabis.

The business will offer firms a combination of back-office shared services, quality assurance, branding and marketing support under the Parabis umbrella.

Parabis has helped a number of new entrants to become alternative business structures in recent months, including insurance firm Direct Line and over-50s specialist Saga.

The company intends to use the new law firm network to play a role in these new ABSs, as well as supplying legal services to in-house legal departments, SMEs and larger companies.

Tim Oliver, chief executive of the Parabis Group, said: ‘We have identified consumer law as a growth area. We already have excellent capability in this area and with David on board we can take it to the next level.

‘We will offer sophisticated support to ABSs and affinity groups, from sales conversion through to the widest range of delivery options. For example, the new law firm network will provide our clients’ customers with access to high-quality, face-to-face legal services across the UK.’

Jabbari added: ‘Looking at the quality of the assets and people that Parabis has across its operations, I have no doubt that it will be the market leader in consumer law services to ABSs and affinity clients, in the insurance sector and beyond.’

Jabbari was formerly the chief executive of Barlow, Lyde & Gilbert, handling both the acquisition of Halliwells’ insurance business and the merger with Clyde & Co where he was the chief operating officer of the merged firm and a board member. Before that he spent nine years at Allen & Overy in a global management role.

At its peak Connect2Law had 2,600 UK member firms with combined turnover of £1bn.

The network was co-ordinated by 20 leading regional ‘hub’ firms which have Connect2Law business development managers. The entity also had 17 dedicated staff split between London and Manchester.

But the future of the brand was shrouded in doubt after Australian firm Slater & Gordon acquired Pannone last November and did not clarify the future of the divisions.