Liverpool firm Silverbeck Rymer could repay more than £100,000 to former miners after being rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for its handling of their government compensation claims.

Partners James and Charles Rymer were reprimanded by the SRA for deducting £117,000 in total from 189 miners’ claims in order to pay fees to claims management company IDC, which referred the claims to them.

The SRA said that the Rymers failed to comply with rules 1, 3 and 9 of the Solicitors Practice Rules 1990, including failing to act in the best interests of clients. The Rymers argued that their agreement with IDC provided clients with access to justice that they otherwise might not have obtained, and that they acted in good faith.

The Rymers signed a regulatory settlement agreement (RSA) with the SRA in which they said that they will contact former miner clients and offer to repay the deductions. If they fail to do so, they face appearing before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

This is the third RSA for miners’ compensation agreed to date. In June 2007, Welsh firm Gabb & Co agreed to repay around £160,000 to miners it advised between 2000 and 2004. The SRA signed an RSA with Glyn Maddocks, at the time a partner in Gabb & Co and a member of the Law Society Council. The firm had also accepted referrals from IDC.

An SRA spokeswoman said that the third RSA was agreed before the SRA’s publication policy and is confidential.

Silverbeck Rymer declined to comment, while IDC did not respond to a request for comment.