A Yorkshire firm is on the brink of going into administration just weeks after celebrating its 40th anniversary. Court records show that Berwins Solicitors Limited filed on Monday a notice of intention to appoint an administrator.

The firm has not responded to requests for comment. Managing director Danielle Day’s out of office message states that she is away until next week.

Berwins Solicitors was established by Paul Berwin in 1986 and has offices in Harrogate and Leeds, employing an average of 40 people in the year to June 2025.

Companies House records show Berwin resigned as a director in December and handed the leadership of the firm to Day.

Three other directors left their roles at the same time and the business was acquired by Kent-based Griffin Law Group. Day said in January that 2026 would be a big year for the firm as it would benefit from being part of a group structure that would support growth and offer a wider range of services.

Mark Edmonds, a director of Griffin Law Group, was appointed as director of Berwins Solicitors Ltd in December last year but Companies House records show that he resigned in June.

The accounts for the year to June 2025 show that Berwins Solicitors had net assets of almost £300,000 – a figure which had fallen by £100,000 in a year after an increase in the amount owed within the year and cash reserves almost halving to £68,484.

The firm held a celebration event earlier this month to mark the 40th anniversary of its foundation, bringing together colleagues and clients.

The firm said at the time: ‘From our roots in Harrogate, Berwins has developed into a modern law firm supporting individuals, families and businesses, while continuing to build long-standing relationships with clients and the communities we serve.’

In March, the firm announced a charitable partnership with Yorkshire Cancer Research and it has also sponsored cultural events in Harrogate in recent years.

This has proved to be a difficult month for a number of firms. Halifax firm Rahman Ravelli and consultancy group Mezzle appointed administrators this month, while media boutique Thomson Heath Jenkins & Associates called in insolvency practitioners and City firm Riverside Legal Services Limited, trading as MSR Solicitors, has closed.

According to Solicitors Regulation Authority statistics, the number of firms in England and Wales fell to 8,899 at the end of September – the lowest figure since the regulator started recording numbers in 2010.