A former assistant solicitor who admitted to multiple problems keeping her files in order has said she should have sought help sooner for her health problems. Kelly Pegg, formerly with Devon practice Barton’s Solicitors, left her role in December 2014 after two-and-a-half years, following which the firm’s head of litigation discovered potential misconduct on four client matters.

Further analysis of the hard copy files, electronic files, metadata and Pegg’s emails, as well as conversations with clients, opponents solicitors and the relevant courts, uncovered a host of mistakes and oversights.

Pegg admitted in one case sending one or more cheques to court in the incorrect amount, misleading her clients by failing to inform them of problems with the court fee, and failing to ensure the file was kept up to date. In another matter, she failed to send letters to opponent solicitors, causing unnecessary delays, and again failed to update the file.

On a separate contentious probate matter, Pegg admitted she failed to send a required cheque with an application, failed to check the progress of that application and did not resubmit the application until nine months later.

In mitigation advanced by Pegg, but not adopted or endorsed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, she said: ‘I accept that due to ill health I did not do the best for my clients. I accept that I should have taken time out of work to investigate my illness sooner. If I had I would not have been working and unable to cope.’

She agreed to apply to the SRA for removal of her name from the roll of solicitors, and not to apply for restoration. She will not be employed or work for any regulated firm without express written permission from the SRA.