The fast-growing British law firm of Kennedys has launched AHK (Abbott, Humphrey & Kennedys) – a complaint investigation service for the independent financial adviser community.

Complaints against IFAs are rising in number. The law firm is hoping to cash in on the fallout from Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) thematic review of complaint-handling. It published its findings on 17 November last year.

Derek Humphrey and Alexei Abbott, who have over 40 years’ experience in financial services between them, are the directors who run AHK from an office in Leeds. Their complaints handlers want to offer a subscription service and outsourcing options to small-to-medium enterprises and large IFA firms. Services include handling complaints to the Financial Ombudsmen Service and elsewhere and 'independent' (presumably not s166) investigations. In due course AHK will launch financial mis-selling reviews and advice about "data breach protection and management."

Kennedys was founded in 1899 but started branching out in 1996, when it opened an office in Belfast. This was followed by offices in Cambridge (2004); Madrid and Chelmsford (2005); Dubai and Sydney (2006); Manchester, Singapore and Taunton (2008); Sheffield and Miami (2010); Lisbon and Dublin (2011); and Edinburgh and Glasgow (2014). A merger in 2008 gave it offices in Birmingham and Maidstone and another in 2013 gave it one in Brussels.