Keith Berman, who founded Liverpool law firm Bermans in 1970, has died aged 81

Keith Berman, founder of Liverpool law firm Bermans, has died at his home in Florida aged 81.

Bermans was founded in 1970 in Liverpool by Keith. By adopting from the start an effective approach which focused on achieving the client’s business objectives quickly and economically, the firm was able to make rapid inroads on a national scale.

In 1980 Keith moved to New York, qualified there and began practising as an English solicitor, opening the Bermans office in 1982.

It orchestrated litigation worldwide and provided a valuable resource for UK and European Clients with US interests (and vice versa). 

At that time not even the big London firms had an operational New York office so to open in across the Atlantic and make a success of it was a remarkable achievement.

Ian Munford, senior consultant, joined Bermans in 1978 and worked directly for Keith as a newly qualified solicitor, sharing an office with him.

Paying tribute, Ian said: “Keith was a perfectionist who liked every staple attaching documents to a letter to be at exactly 90 degrees and a ‘Bermans style’ of writing. He was also ahead of his time in relation to office automation and IT.

“He was a flamboyant character, to say the least, and would wear a cape and a dickie bow tie to work many days. 

“Keith worked very hard himself and expected no less from others including myself but he generously rewarded and promoted those who did reflect his high standards… RIP Keith, you were definitely one of a kind.”

He carried on working even in his later years and had planned to attend some of the celebrations for Bermans 50th anniversary in 2020 but was hit by COVID and ill health.

In September 2022, Bermans was acquired by the Merseyside-based MAPD legal group which also owns another Liverpool firm, Jackson Lees.