Prince Harry's law firm in phone hacking case files for bankruptcy

The law firm at the centre of a high-profile phone-hacking privacy lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) has entered bankruptcy.

Thomson Heath Jenkins (THJ) has closed its office and appointed insolvency practitioners. Founded in 2009 by sole shareholder Mark Thomson, the practice deployed seven solicitors on the case, with Thomson serving as coordinating solicitor for seven prominent claimants: the Duke of Sussex, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Liz Hurley, Sadie Frost, and Sir Simon Hughes.

The collapse follows the High Court's dismissal of the case in July, where Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that the action concerning 55 allegedly unlawful stories was speculative and based on inference rather than evidence.

As previously reported, the claimants face potential legal liabilities of up to £34 million after the court issued a rare indemnity costs order. While the claimants intend to appeal parts of the ruling and the costs order ahead of a 6 November deadline, the impact of the firm's insolvency remains uncertain.

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