BLB Solicitors collapses into administration after rescue deal fails

BLB Solicitors Limited, a long-established regional law firm with offices across southwest England, has entered administration after a proposed rescue sale collapsed at a late stage, forcing the immediate shutdown of the business and the redundancy of all staff.

Gareth Buckley and Steve Elliott of The Insolvency Company, part of The Sumer Group, were appointed joint administrators of the firm on 30 April 2026. The appointment followed efforts by management and advisers to secure a going-concern sale that would have preserved a substantial portion of the business and workforce.

BLB Solicitors operated from offices in Bath, Bristol, Swindon, Almondsbury, Trowbridge and Bradford-on-Avon, serving clients across the southwest of England. The firm had traded for decades and provided a broad range of legal services to individuals and businesses in the region.

According to the administrators, a buyer had been identified and a transaction agreed in principle before the deal ultimately fell apart shortly before completion. The withdrawal left insufficient time to secure an alternative purchaser or additional funding to support continued operations.

The failure of the transaction created particular complications because of the regulatory framework governing legal practices in England and Wales. As the appointed administrators are not solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority rules prevented the firm from continuing to trade during the administration while a replacement buyer was sought. The administrators said they therefore had no option upon appointment other than to cease trading immediately and make all employees redundant.

The administrators said their focus has now shifted to maximising recoveries from the firm’s assets for the benefit of creditors. They are also working with the SRA to safeguard client interests and manage the transition of files and related matters following the closure of the practice.