Former Unity Law founder Chris Fry sets up new co-operative firm

Chris Fry, the founder and former managing partner of Unity Law, has launched Fry Law, a new co-operative law firm based in Sheffield.

Fry is recognised as one of the UK’s leading equality and human rights lawyers. He is responsible for numerous Court of Appeal precedents, and Supreme Court cases in both Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Disability Discrimination.

He says his new venture is a firm with an “agile working model”. With a core central hub of lawyers and administrative support in Sheffield, Fry Law also has a network of consultants working flexibly on a 50/50 profit share basis covering London, East Anglia and Yorkshire.

Speaking of his vision for the new firm, Fry said: “With fixed costs reforms anticipated in NIHL cases, and changes to the small claims limit, this new structure keeps overheads low whilst attracting some of the best, most effective lawyers to the team. This firm has, at its heart, the motivation to deliver change in a time where access to justice must be improved for the individual. We look forward to work co-operatively with other lawyers and law firms who share the same motivation.”

Within its first week of trading, assisted by specialist litigation funder SpectraLegal Finance, the firm has taken on existing caseloads from two law firms, and has the funding to actively seek out both new caseloads, and to recruit new consultants. Fry Law worked with Zebra LC, specialists in technical audit and due diligence to assist in the acquisitions and the funding process with Spectra Legal.

“Fry Law’s innovative approach is refreshing. With Spectra Legal’s support the firm can look to make other acquisitions within a short timescale and develop its flexible working model further,” said Holland, the managing director at ZebraLC.

In support of the new firm, Matthew Gwynne, business development and client relations director at SpectraLegal Finance said: “In what is a challenging market Fry Law represents an exciting opportunity run by industry experts that, as a specialist lender, we are delighted to be able to support.”