Legal firm faces investigation over net piracy letters following complaint from Which?

Which? has welcomed the news that the solicitors’ watchdog will pursue its complaint about a London law firm, Davenport Lyons, which accused hundreds of innocent consumers of illegal file sharing. The internet users accused of illegal sharing received letters from the law firm demanding payment of around £500 compensation for copyright infringement.

In its complaint, sent to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in December 2008, Which? said it believed the conduct of Davenport Lyons had been ‘bullying’ and ‘excessive’. The SRA agrees that there are grounds to call Davenport Lyons to account and has referred the matter to its disciplinary tribunal.

However, Which? is disappointed that the process has taken so long and wants to see some decisive action to stop these tactics. It continues to hear on an almost weekly basis from distressed people who have received letters wrongly accusing them of illegal file sharing and demanding payment for their ‘crime’.  At least two other law firms (ACS Law and Tilly Bailey Irvine Solicitors(TBI)) have jumped on the bandwagon since the original complaint.

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