The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is set to write off up to £15m in the wake of the break-up and sale of Halliwells, it has emerged.

RBS, which was owed substantial sums in corporate debt and partner loans from Halliwells, recovered just over £7m from the sales, with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert and HBJ Gateley Wareing – which took the largest teams – paying £2.5m and £2.55m respectively. Hill Dickinson paid £1.88m, while Kennedys paid £125,000 for the Sheffield office.