John Hayes (l) and John Durkan
The costs specialist severely injured after trying to stop the 2024 Southport attack said the experience led to his decision to sell his firm to Yorkshire law firm Switalskis.
John Hayes, founder of Calculus Legal Costs, said what happened in July 2024 “did make me start to think about the future”.
He required surgery after being stabbed in the leg by Axel Rudakubana as he tried to stop the attack that murdered three girls and injured eight others.
Calculus, which specialises in serious personal injury and clinical negligence matters, has retained its identity, management and client relationships in the deal and Mr Hayes said it would operate independently of Switalskis’ in-house costs team.
It is fairly unusual for a law firm to buy a stand-alone costs firms.
Switalskis employs 395 people in 11 offices across Yorkshire and in London. The two businesses have worked together since 2018 and Mr Hayes said there was “a natural fit”.
He explained: “We’ve got very similar views on culture, people and how our respective businesses are run. So when I sat down with [Switalskis CEO] John Durkan, it became clear quite quickly that there was a nice synergy – they like what we do and would like us to do more of it.”
He stressed that he was not looking to leave the business – “John Durkan has made it quite clear he wants me around for the long haul, and he wants me to become a director of the wider group” – but the “traumatic” events of 2024 had “made me take stock and think about what I wanted for the next stage of my life and for the business”.
He went on: “I very nearly died. And let me tell you, it makes you realise how life fragile is and how we’re here for a relatively short time. I’ve been doing this job for 23 years now, and before that, nearly 20 years with Commercial Union [before it merged to form Aviva].
“I’ve had a full-on working career and it wasn’t a question of ‘now I’ve had enough’ but what happened in July 2024 did make me start to think about the future.”
Switalskis has committed to Southport and taken a 10-year lease on the offices. Mr Hayes said he has not relet the dance studio where the attacks took place “because I thought it would be insensitive to do that”.
But, with people still leaving flowers outside, it acts as a permanent reminder to him of what happened.
He preferred not to say how many people worked at Calculus – “what they bought is our skills, our technical ability, the fact that we have got a strong reputation and strong client base, not how many people we have”. Companies House records, however, show there were 17 at the end of last year.
Calculus has “very strong relationships” with 30-40 law firms around the country, receiving instructions from something like 300 fee-earners.
Mr Hayes admitted that, when the talks started a year ago, he was concerned about flight risk but all of the firm’s key clients were “hugely supportive” of the move and not worried about it linking up with Switalskis.
One asked him to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which he was “more than happy to do”.
“The only concern that’s been expressed is whether Switalskis’ work would take precedence to their cases. The answer is absolutely not. In fact, at the moment, we’ve no plans to take any more Switalskis’ work in-house because we just couldn’t cope with it.”
Equally, he now has the backing of a major law firm with all of its resources to enhance the services Calculus offers. “We’re also going to have access to a far more refined HR and IT function, business development function. Our staff will have enhanced benefits. So it’s all positive.”
The Southport attack has, of course, had a huge impact on his life, from permanent nerve damage in his leg to meeting King Charles. He is regularly asked about it – there is no getting away from the memories.
He is a core participant in the public inquiry “and that has been quite harrowing. Some of the stuff that I’ve seen and still continue to see, which is not in the public domain, has been difficult”.
It has, Mr Hayes admitted, “changed me as a person. I’m far more cautious about things… I’m hoping that as time goes on, it’ll become less impactful”.
Mr Durkan commented: “This is an important acquisition for Switalskis as it brings additional highly engaged and respected specialists, skills and knowledge into our group.
“While Calculus and Switalskis will remain distinctly separate businesses, being part of our group brings many advantages. It gives Calculus access to additional resources and expertise, particularly across HR and IT as well as opportunities for us all to share knowledge and best practice.
“There’s a strong cultural fit between our businesses. We’ve both built reputations on putting clients first, developing trusted relationships and investing in our people, which gives us a solid foundation from which to work together. We will support John and the team while building on the success they have created.”
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