Bankrupt lawyer’s creditors set to meet to settle debts

Feb 15 2008 by Emma Davison, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

CREDITORS are to meet to settle the debts of a Huddersfield solicitor who was made bankrupt 14 years ago.

Darrell Mernagh, who had a practice at Lion Chambers in John William Street, was declared bankrupt in 1994 after a petition was filed by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The lawyer, now 55, of Luke Lane, Thongsbridge, had been under investigation by law industry watchdogs when the order was made at Huddersfield County Court.

His business was shut after intervention by the solicitors’ complaints bureau to protect the interests of his clients and his files were transferred to another law firm.

Mr Mernagh was found guilty of failing to provide adequate office supervision and using inaccurate publicity and ordered to pay a £2,000 fine at the solicitors’ disciplinary tribunal in London.

When he was declared bankrupt he had been a practising solicitor since 1980 and was educated at Bradley Junior School and Huddersfield New College.

His father, John, was a well-known local political figure and served as the last mayor of Huddersfield.

The final meeting will take place on February 21 at Merchant’s Quay in Shipley to approve payments to the creditors and release the trustee, Raymond Stuart Claughton of Rushton’s insolvency practitioners.