phb.co.uk Reviews 

Dominic Crossley is the worst lawyer I have ever dealt with. ZERO STARS! He dropped me as a client at the MOST critical moment of my case and showed a complete lack of professionalism, judgment, and basic care. He accused me of lying despite clear evidence, including video footage, photographs of abuse, and police reports. He then arranged for Fiona Shackleton to also withdraw from representing me.

Fiona's conduct was equally unacceptable. She was ENTITLED, hostile, and unprofessional, and her emails were consistently inappropriate and read more like RANTS. It was completely careless treatment of someone going through a divorce. I am not sure how she practices in this field. It is ironic that she appears so entitled simply because, at her age, she has had a few high-profile clients in her lifetime, in the USA, that would be considered fairly standard.

However Dominic was the worst, never have I come across a worst person. Dominic was entitled, dismissive, and judgmental, always behaving as though he were representing the opposing side rather than advocating for me. His attitude was condescending, despite the fact that I was paying for legal representation. The advice I received was poor and led to unnecessary and expensive actions, including recommending steps such as an SAR and letters that went nowhere and achieved nothing. In total, I paid approximately £60,000 to both and received no meaningful progress or outcome.

After Dominic dropped my case, Carter Ruck took on my libel claim and Stewarts Law handled my divorce. Both are 10000000000 times better!!!!!!!! The difference was extraordinary!!!!!!!! I love them!!! Both firms were professional, competent, caring, and supportive. They fully defended my position like warriors, proved my case, and delivered results. I WON both matters, READ THAT AGAIN DOMINIC, I WON BOTH! Oh, and I received formal apologies and obtained a substantial settlement!!!! This outcome made it clear that dropping my case was a serious failure of judgment and that you were wrong.

I am aware that many attempts have been made to delete my horrible experience from review platforms. However, everything stated here is factual and supported by written correspondence. If necessary, I can PUBLISH it all. I stand by this review and am comfortable substantiating my experience if required.

Based on my experience, I would NOT recommend Dominic Crossley or Fiona Shackleton. He represented me several years ago, and the lack of support, accountability, and advocacy during a critical time was unacceptable. I never even received an apology or a farewell/good luck message from either of them.

Why are there so few reviews for this firm?

Dominic Crossley, famous privacy lawyer representing The Dowlers, Steve Coogan etc, sent a package in a flimsy envelope when he knew we were away from home. The contents were spilling out for a week for everyone to read.

Paynes Hicks Beach website states that it has been advising clients since 1770, yet the company was incorporated in 2020.

PHB claim on their website to be 'the best law firm in London'. After NINE years 13 complaints against the firm have been upheld on my case alone. If they are the best, then I tremble to think what the worst is like. Issues I had include their sale of a high interest loan without checking whether the loan co was regulated and authorised, being PAID by the loan company they sold the loan for, as well as taking (substantial) payment from me, over charging, billing for unnecessary work, charging for non chargeable items (such as photocopying, which was done by paralegals who are billable, when it could have been done my office staff who were not) The Financial Ombudsman found the loan they sold me to - be unfair and unaffordable, and the thirteen ADDITIONAL complaint points on which the firm have been found to have failed me I'm not even allowed to talk about, not because of an NDA - but because the body dealing with the complaints, and finding they are substantive, has gagged me on behalf of the law firm. PHB shared extensive and extremely private information from Financial Dispute Resolution Hearings with multiple third parties, they ignored my instructions, and they also acted without instruction, or agreement billing thousands of pounds for seeking tax advice, from their tax partners, which was not asked for, not needed, and not agreed. Their attitude to the disaster they have caused has been one of arrogance and complete refusal to take any responsibility or to apologise. What is infuriating is that the can STILL, even with all these upheld complaints, pretend on their website they are excellent, cherry pick positive PR puff articles about them, and effectively block any negative coverage of what I found to be an appalling, harmful and extremely damaging - and ruinously expensive - series of failures.