A boutique firm once accused of bringing unfounded defamation proceedings on behalf of the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group has been wound down.

A notice on its website confirmed that Discreet Law LLP has ceased practice and is no longer authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Financial statements posted by the firm last month stated then that it was in the process of winding down its legal practice.

Discreet Law had come to public attention last year following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the backlash against London lawyers representing clients with close links to president Vladimir Putin.

The firm had applied to the High Court for a declaration in March 2022 that it had ceased to act for Yevgeny Prigozhin in a defamation claim against Eliot Higgins, founder of the investigative journalism website Bellingcat. Prigozhin led the Wagner Group private military company but was killed in a plane crash in August shortly after apparently leading an armed forces mutiny. 

In May 2022, Higgins’ lawyers announced that defamation proceedings brought by Progozhin had been struck out by the High Court. They also confirmed that a complaint concerning Discreet Law had been referred to the SRA, saying this was an example of ‘strategic litigation against public participation’ (SLAPP).

There is no suggestion that anyone from Discreet Law is being investigated and the firm’s closure was not brought about by an SRA intervention. In theory, even if a firm closes, individuals from that firm remain on the roll and can be investigated by the SRA if there are suspicions of misconduct.

Discreet Law itself was a small firm led by partners Roger Gerson and Joe Levtov based in London’s West End. Gherson is also a designated member of London firm Gherson Solicitors LLP.

According to the most recent accounts, for the year ended 31 March 2023, liabilities to creditors had been reduced from £1.16m to £87,505 as the business was in the process of being wound down. Amounts owed had come down from £1.2m to £93,828.

 

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