A Limited Ploy? – ACS:LAW and Media C.A.T close together

To those who have endured the letters of ACS:LAW from May 2009, the news is simply stunning, albeit there is an air of cynicism to be had.  It is true that ACS:LAW and their symbiotic monster Media C.A.T have ceased trading.  It was announced in yet another leaked email, an email sent by Andrew Crossley confirming that not only had he  closed his business but to prove the point of connection with his long time friend Lee Bowden, he also announced that Bowden’s company Media C.A.T was also closing up shop.

 This story has been well covered by TorrentFreak, but I wish to dwell not on this news so much as what the future may hold.

 The SRA as has been reported has already referred Crossley to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for a THIRD time.  The decision to fold BOTH companies just days before a Judge was due to hold a hearing regarding costs and damages, must be to all but the most positive thinking airhead to be in the least suspicious.  Can a limited company be held for costs and damages IF it no longer exists?

What is disturbing, it that on the date of the second hearing, Bowden not being present, it has transpired that he was busy setting up another Limited Company…now I know this sounds to unbelievable but it is sadly true.  The Company “100 Mile Media” was registered as a domain, as can be seen here.

Lee Bowden is the Managing Director of “Piri Ltd” and the “The Textworks”, as well as Media C.A.T, there will be others I am sure.  What is so galling is that it seems that Bowden will be able to walk away from all this “Scot free”, his company being a Limited Company will protect him against costs that would have been surely awarded against him.  Bowden was described by ACS:LAW as a “Copyright Expert”, well, in addition to that he has also been a “Public Relations Agency” and also “Building Development”.

We will have to see what happens at 14:00 on Tuesday 8^th February at the Patents Court.  What will become of the data that ACS:LAW still hold on people? Will it be destroyed or sold off to someone else? 

Andrew Crossley acquired a Limited Company called “Larper Ltd” back in April 2010.  What is worrying is that come the hearing on the 8^th February, unless Judge Birss finishes the practice of “Speculative Invoicing” it can be picked back up by changing limited companies, folding and starting anew, I realise of course there are more parameters involved, ie the NPO granting, which I doubt will be allowed to be given out as freely as in the past.

Also of note is the number of EX ACS:LAW employees busy scratching the name of the Company from their CVs (Leyla Mehru, hello).  I believe we need to keep an eye out for the main players activities in all this, Adam Glen, Jonathan Miller, Terence Tsang seem to be the main ones in addition to Crossley and Bowden.  We have already seen that Miller plus one other “Ex ACS:LAW employee” were behind GCB Ltd. 

These are the details of the companies setup by Bowden and Crossley (I have included Media C.A.T as it seems interesting that it shares the same “Virtual space” as his new Company.

100milemedia.co.uk

Name & Registered Office:
100 MILE MEDIA LIMITED
2 ND FLOOR
43 WHITFIELD STREET
LONDON
UNITED KINGDOM
W1T 4HD

Date of Incorporation: 24/01/2011

Company No. 07503354
http://www.whois-search.com/whois/100milemedia.co.uk

 Name & Registered Office:
MEDIA C.A.T. LTD
c/o GATEWAY PARTNERS
43 WHITFIELD STREET
LONDON
ENGLAND
W1T 4HD

Date of Incorporation: 29/04/2002

Company No. 04426555

http://web.archive.org/web/20060402205823/http://media-cat.co.uk/

Name & Registered Office:
LARPER LIMITED
c/o ACS LAW SOLICITORS
20 HANOVER SQUARE
LONDON
W1S 1JY

Date of Incorporation: 06/04/2010

Company No. 07213422