A former law firm director has undertaken to remove himself from the roll after failing in his duty to supervise a fee-earner who created file notes that were used in a misleading way.

Mark Marriott, ex-director of Kent firm Dakers Marriott Dugdale Ltd, told the SRA he will not apply for readmission to the profession for three years.

Marriott was the supervising solicitor at the firm, with overall responsibility for conveyancing transactions handled by licensing conveyancer Heidi Thompson.

In 2014 Thompson, who worked at the firm from May 2013 to October 2016, created file notes giving the impression those notes were actually created two years earlier. She was found in breach of three SRA principles and is made subject to a supervision order which prevents her from working for a law firm without permission from the regulator.

According to a regulatory settlement agreement published last week. Marriott had submitted a file to the Legal Ombudsman containing the notes which he ought to have known would be misleading in terms of the dates.

Marriott also signed a letter to the SRA within which it was represented that at least one of the notes was contemporaneous, when he knew or ought to have known that it was not.

The solicitor admitted the SRA and ombudsman were misled by the notes that were created two years previously. He admitted failing properly to check the letter to the SRA which he ought to have known contained incorrect information.

The SRA made no finding of dishonesty but did say Marriott’s conduct was reckless and had the potential to mislead.

He had no regulatory history and apologised for his conduct.

As well as removing himself from the roll, Marriott was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £300 costs.