We must do something to level the playing field in the SDT
Radical change may not be realistic but workable solutions can be found.
Solicitor exploited elderly client to arrange under-value sale
London law firm owner struck off the roll after also being named as client’s sole beneficiary.
Solicitor ‘didn’t realise’ client’s case was struck out years before
SDT fines Birmingham practitioner for mistakes but clears him of manifest incompetence.
Ex-solicitor banned 30 years ago loses bid to return to profession
Tribunal hears that applicant worked for three law firms without permission despite removal in 1993.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Solicitor ‘cynically misled’ clients over missing £180,000
London practitioner repeatedly promised to repay money when client account had just £5.16 left.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Firm's boss kept quiet for months about employee's theft of £670k
Tribunal rules that 'thoroughly decent man' did not need to be struck off despite admission of dishonesty.
Cleared lawyer must pay £534,000 defence costs, SDT rules
Tribunal in Liz Ellen case says there is no good reason to deviate from default position of a no costs order.
Cleared lawyer asks for SRA to cover her £534,000 defence costs
Tribunal told that SRA’s prosecution of Liz Ellen was ‘legally and factually flawed’.
Solicitor used estate money to clear overdraft while client was in prison
Practitioner failed to secure monies intended for vulnerable client from his dead mother’s estate.
SDT decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Solicitor struck off after almost £600k of client money vanished
Compensation fund - paid for by the profession - required to pay back wronged conveyancing clients.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Retired solicitor agrees to strike-off over filing delay
Veteran practitioner admits seeking to conceal a late submission to the property tribunal.
Solicitor grossly inflated his hours to ‘avoid adverse scrutiny’
Probate work which required 15 hours was put down by solicitor as taking more than 500.
Solicitor fined £30,000 for providing banking facility to fraudster
Experienced practitioner had 'misplaced belief in the honesty' of long-time acquaintance.
Junior misled client for months about case progression
Tribunal hears that former Capsticks solicitor also misled her own firm about what was happening.
Solicitor struck off for lying during job interview
Practitioner claimed she was still employed despite being dismissed six months before.
Todner fails to quash SRA prosecution
Tribunal rules that case brought against criminal defence specialist is not an abuse of process.
Novice conveyancer paid out £42k deposit without proper checks
Solicitor undertook to return missing funds knowing his firm could not afford to.
High-profile solicitor seeks to get SRA prosecution thrown out
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal is hearing abuse of process application brought by Karen Todner.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Owner told SRA she no had no clients ‘while they were in waiting room’
Lawyer banned from practising after being dishonest with the SRA about status of firm.
Tribunal rejects bid by formerly suspended solicitor to run own firm
East London practitioner argued lifting of conditions would complete his professional rehabilitation.
Firm owner who used client account as a ‘piggy bank’ is struck off
Investigators found withdrawals coming to £22,782 from the client account over the course of 18 months.
Solicitor struck off for blue badge parking deception
Sussex practitioner had been described as ‘lazy and idle’ by sentencing judge.
Solicitor who held on to files showed ‘flagrant disregard’ for rules
Former consultant ignored court order and did not engage with disciplinary proceedings at any stage, tribunal hears.
Siblings appeal strike-off over property scheme advice
Former solicitors were found to have protected their own financial interests over their clients’.
Veteran solicitor agrees to be struck off after almost 50 years on roll
London solicitor allowed firm’s client account to be used as banking facility for decades.
Firms on ‘hiding to nothing’ with SDT inequality of arms
Regulatory specialist says problem of funding for tribunal cases is becoming more acute as insurance market tightens.
Ex-Slater and Gordon solicitor misled clients over struck-out claims
Clients were kept hanging on for months thinking their claims were progressing, tribunal hears.
Immigration solicitor fails to overturn second strike-off decision
Practitioner unsuccessfully claimed he was victim of entrapment over TV sting on sham marriages.
Solicitor sanctioned over fake signature appeals tribunal decision
South Wales practitioner challenges finding of dishonesty, saying he believed he had consent from his director.
Sibling solicitors banned after pocketing £2.9m from scheme advice
Tribunal finds law firm partners deliberately failed to properly advise clients to preserve income.
Tribunal rejects ‘wokeism’ defence from solicitor who made insensitive comments
Sole practitioner is struck off over a ‘pattern of non-compliance’, but he will appeal.
Mishcon verdict delayed by weeks after SDT time runs out
Parties made final submissions on the fourth and final day of the allocated time.
Top sports lawyer denies central role in football transfer payments
Liz Ellen, former partner with Mishcon de Reya, tells tribunal that she was a junior staff member at the time.
Mishcon gave ‘element of trust’ to murky football transfers, tribunal hears
Firm alleged to have used client account as banking facility for transfers involving football club.
Mishcon de Reya's last-minute admission to SDT ruled to be unfair
Former Mishcon partner was 'effectively ambushed' by admissions at such a late stage.
Tribunal questions ‘stale’ allegations against veteran solicitor
Practitioner fined £7,501 for misconduct dating back to three weeks in 2013.
Dishonest solicitor who faked boss’s signature allowed to stay on roll
Tribunal finds misconduct was 'one-off' and carried out 'in a matter of moments'.
Solicitor struck off for billing elderly former client
Tribunal also rules Cornwall practitioner raised numerous unfair charges against client.
Solicitor who claimed to be locked down in Chinese hospital struck off
Solicitor 'repeatedly used the claimed ill-health of his mother as a shield to try to deflect him from scrutiny', tribunal finds.
Retired solicitor banned for taking £275k from client’s estate
Practitioner jailed for leaving beneficiary with just £7,500 after transfers to his own account.
Junior lawyer suspended over blue badge parking deceit
London solicitor had avoided £4 parking fee by using badge that had been reported lost.
Court throws out appeal by solicitor who turned ‘blind eye’ to scam
Judge says tribunal was entitled to find that Liverpool lawyer had acted dishonestly.
SDT warns solicitors about their personal lives
Tribunal panels must act ‘fearlessly’ to protect the public, says president Edward Nally.
Mishcon to face SDT over client account transactions
Former head of sport is accused of causing or allowing inappropriate payments to be made into and from the firm’s client account.
‘Relentless’: SDT sounds alarm on partner pressure
Firms must ensure the wellbeing of their partners who are under intense pressure to meet billing targets, tribunal observes.
'Humanitarian' solicitor avoids strike-off – despite dishonesty
Tribunal found that respondent ‘had been trying to assist people’ at the time of his misconduct.
Defence lawyer agrees strike-off over prison visit expenses
Matthew Smith said his conduct had been a ‘severe and serious lapse in judgement’.
Solicitor banned over forged signatures on loan application
Practitioner had presented documents with forged signatures of his wife and ex-colleagues.
Ex-boss of London PI firm struck off over unpaid loans
Tribunal heard details of unpaid litigation funding and ATE insurance premiums.
Backdating solicitor cleared of dishonesty but fined £50,000
Ex-Fieldfisher partner admitted letters had been recreated.
Accused solicitor denies risking career by lying to help client
Former Fieldfisher equity partner tells tribunal he made a mistake but did not act dishonestly.
Struck-off solicitor gets three years for SDLT theft
Former owner of West London firm filed 52 fraudulent returns over five years.
‘Heavy-hitter’ equity partner accused of dishonesty at SDT
Former Fieldfisher partner denies misleading the court over creation of backdated documents.
Solicitor found with 23 indecent images of children agrees to strike-off
Leicester practitioner was also growing five cannabis plants in his
Solicitor jailed for ‘brutal’ assault avoids strike-off
Tribunal accepts solicitor showed genuine remorse and insight following GBH conviction.