A London paralegal has forced the removal of a ‘malicious and inaccurate’ posting on the solicitorsfromhell.co.uk website after issuing a claim for defamation against the owner, the Gazette has learned.

Max Campbell, a paralegal at McCormacks, spotted the posting on 1 September, which related to his former firm.Campbell instructed London firm Brett Wilson, which wrote to site owner Rick Kordowski asking him to remove the ‘malicious and inaccurate’ post.

Kordowski declined the firm’s request to remove the post. In an email to Brett Wilson on 6 September, Kordowski said: ‘At 4pm today I will circulate this listing even wider on the internet, the national press and the BBC as a warning to the public about the conduct of your client and the firm he works for.’

Brett Wilson then issued a claim for defamation against Kordowski and lodged an application notice for an injunction in the High Court. The firm said that after being served with the application notice, Kordowski removed the posting, and provided a written guarantee that no further material would be published.

Brett Wilson partner Iain Wilson said that the application for an injunction has been withdrawn, and that Campbell has an extant claim for damages.

Campbell said: ‘I firmly believe in fair comment, but only where the facts are stated truthfully. This website allows people to post anonymously without having to prove they ever had a retainer with the firm or individual in question. I wanted the matter dealt with swiftly and therefore I instructed Brett Wilson at my own expense, a decision which has proved fruitful as the material was removed within five days of instruction.’

Kordowski did not respond to requests for comment.