THE boss of a law firm whose offices in York closed suddenly has reassured clients their legal documents are safe.

Danny Richardson, senior partner at Richardson & Co, which had offices in Peckitt Street, near Clifford’s Tower, spoke to The Press after it raised the concerns of a reader about the fate of two crucial family wills.

Jean Blacker, of Leeman Road, York, said the firm had the original will document for her late husband, Robert, who died in the summer, and also one for her mother-in-law. She said they were drawn up by Gildeners, a well-established York firm, long before it was taken over by Richardson in 2010.

She said she had been unaware of Richardson’s closure, which happened on November 29, until The Press reported on it and had since been unable to contact anyone to find what had happened to the documents.

Mr Richardson said he had decided the firm should cease trading for “personal health reasons”, and revealed arrangements had been made with the Solicitors Regulation Authority since April for an orderly closure.

He said another firm had agreed to look after all the firm’s archived legal documents and would be contacting Richardson’s clients in the New Year to ask if they wanted it to continue storing the documents, or would like it to hand them back.

Mr Richardson said he was also delighted to have been able to help all 55 staff from the firm’s offices in York, Harrogate and Leeds find alternative work, some at other law firms in York.

He said to thank the community for its support over the years, he had decided to make a donation of £100,000 to Yorkshire Cancer Research and payments totalling £25,000 to a number of other, smaller charities.

He asked any clients with queries to email richardsonlaw@hotmail.co.uk

Richardson & Co was established in 2008 and specialised in business, family and conveyancing law, as well as employment, wills and probate, personal injury and immigration.