Lawyers bragged of ‘great win’ over disabled pupils
‘Disgusting’ firm paid £420k by councils gloated on Twitter
A LAW firm has been branded ‘disgusting’ after boasting of a ‘great win’ over parents trying to get help for their disabled children.
Baker Small posted ‘gloating’ tweets that appeared to mock the families of vulnerable youngsters – including one picture of a laughing cat.
The Milton Keynes-based firm is paid by local authorities to challenge parents who request support for children with special educational needs or disabilities.
It boasted about victories on behalf of councils at tribunals where claims for help are decided. Last night at least three local authorities dispensed with its services despite a grovelling apology.
The row began on Friday when an employee at Baker Small used the firm’s official Twitter account to brag about a win at an Applied Behavioural Analysis tribunal. The post said: ‘Great ABA Trib win this week. Interesting to see how parents continue to persist with it. Funny thing is parents think they won.’
Another post said: ‘Crikey, had a great “win” last week which sent some parents into a storm!’
When challenged online, the tweeter replied: ‘Whenever someone thinks they have won and they have conceded 90 per cent of their case, it does make me smile.’ When another parent commented that they were having a ‘very bad night’ on Twitter, the firm said: ‘ What, from the mob! Please, sticks and stones and all that!’ The tweet included the acronym ‘LOL’ for ‘laugh out loud’.
The firm then posted a picture of a laughing cat and a message: ‘Some great tweets received today from people who just see a onesided argument. Just shared them with my cat.’
The messages sparked a flurry of complaints from outraged parents on Twitter. Rebecca Saunders said: ‘Disgusting behaviour highlights @bakersmall hunt for fees not justice. Parent fighting for support for their child is not crime.’
Carla Capalbo added: ‘You should be ashamed of yourselves and struck off. Try living with autism and see what fun it is.’
Special needs campaigner Jane McCready, 52, from west London, whose son Johnny, 13, has autism, said: ‘It is gloating and mocking special needs parents.’
The firm is paid £300,000 annu- ally by Gloucestershire County Council and £120,000 by Norfolk County Council.
Yesterday, Norfolk said it would stop using their services, as did Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire County Councils. Barnet Borough Council, in north London, said it will terminate its contract with the law firm when existing cases are finished. Buckinghamshire County Council also has a contract with Baker Small.
The firm has now apologised, deleted the tweets and pledged to make a donation to the South West children’s hospice appeal.
Baker Small managing director Mark Small took responsibility for the tweets but claimed he sent them in response to ‘offensive postings’ he received.
He added: ‘We unreservedly apologise for the offence caused and the nature of the tweets.’ The Solicitors Regulation Authority said it was investigating complaints.