Denton Wilde Sapte has been asked to justify its conduct as lawyers to Equitable Life after the controversial life assurer yesterday (29 November) threatened legal action against its former advisers.

Equitable is threatening to sue its former directors and advisers, including Dentons and accountancy giant Ernst & Young, unless they “justify” their conduct in the long-running dispute over policy values that last year forced the mutual to close its doors to new business.