Coopers hit with writ for # 1.5m
A Sussex businessman is suing Coopers & Lybrand for # 1.5m for allegedly issuing negligent advice when he sold his office partitioning business to Hickson International in 1989.
Newick-based Barry Bates claims he lost # 833,334 and suffered damages when Coopers offered advice encouraging him to sign a settlement deed that ended his employment with Hickson three years later.
Coopers had earlier advised him on the employment contract which retained him as managing director of Komfort when he sold it to Hickson, but which forced him to give up to 18-months notice if circumstances arose in which he wanted to leave.
In his writ, dated last week, Bates claims Coopers should have given him better advice when he subsequently fell ill and wanted to end his contract. The writ says Coopers should have advised him to see a lawyer before signing the settlement and failed to exercise reasonable care and skill.
A Coopers spokesman confirmed that a writ had been received by the firm, but refused to discuss the allegations made by Bates.
He added that Coopers has had no contact with Bates for several years.
‘We will be defending this writ vigorously,’ he said. ‘We believe there is no substance to the allegations made.’