An accounts manager who made amendments to the SRA records of her firm’s partners without their permission has been barred from working in the sector.
Syriah Gordon-Jones was an accounts manager for Neale Turk Rochfort, based in Camberley, between May and October 2020.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority said Gordon-Jones accessed the mySRA accounts of partners at the firm and made amendments to SRA records, as well as an application for removal from the roll of solicitors, without the partners’ permission.
She also contacted the firm’s accountants and directed them to prepare a payslip for her salary and notice pay of £5,000. This was not authorised or agreed by the firm.
The decision notice said Gordon-Jones made racist and abusive comments towards the partners of the firm, including threats of harm.
Gordon-Jones was given a section 43 order as it was ‘undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA’s prior approval’.
Section 43 restrictions mean Gordon-Jones cannot be employed or remunerated by a solicitor or recognised body except with the SRA’s prior written permission.
The regulator described Gordon-Jones’ conduct as serious ‘because it demonstrated a number of incidents over several hours and days’.
It added: ‘Miss Gordon-Jones was directly responsible for her own conduct. Her conduct had the potential to cause significant harm to the partners at the firm.’
Gordon-Jones was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA’s £600 costs.
