Firm to pay £78k after AML case goes to tribunal
Tribunal says it was a ‘matter of luck’ that criminals had not exploited firm’s deficiences.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Solicitor held in contempt to face SDT hearing
SRA confirms it will bring prosecution three years after court sentencing.
Solicitor who tried to stop complaint to SRA struck off
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal says solicitor’s misconduct reflected a ‘troubling mind set’.
SDT decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Solicitor avoids dishonesty finding after altering cheque date
Practitioner with 'strong sense of loyalty' to clients wanted to complete outstanding work before leaving firm.
PI solicitor diverted client damages to wife-linked rehab company
West Yorkshire practitioner created false documents, purportedly to pay for physiotherapy and a psychologist’s assessment.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Consultant loses latest bid to return to legal profession
SDT rules that banning order must remain as applicant had not showed sufficient remorse or insight.
Tribunal blocks reporting of names in SLAPP case
Clients referred to in the case of Christopher Mark Hutchings must be anonymised to protect legal privilege, SDT rules.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Partner suspended for harassing colleague - but SDT allows anonymity
Junior colleague reported feeling humiliated after being harassed during work night out.
Solicitor acted for claimant and defendant
Practitioner showed a 'cavalier attitude' to the rules of professional conduct, tribunal finds.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Solicitor intended to cause offence with antisemitic tweets, SDT told
Firm director denies allegation against him and says social media posts were made in a private capacity.
Ban for solicitor who worked for three firms at once
Belinda Sarkodie had submitted timesheets claiming payment for the same hours on the same dates from the firms, SDT rules.
Dishonest solicitor avoids strike-off over ‘moment of madness’
Highly-regarded associate said she was in a ‘haze’ due to work pressures and health issues.
DWF partner fined over million-pound payment error
SDT accepts agreed outcome saying the £14,000 fine was ‘a reasonable and proportionate sanction’.
Second Daily Mail 'sting' solicitor cleared of misconduct
Immigration adviser conducted an initial exploratory meeting and did not advise on fabricating evidence for an asylum claim, tribunal finds.
Veteran solicitor struck off for concealing bankruptcy
Tribunal says outcome could have been different if 'capable, diligent and competent' solicitor had made frank disclosures.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Ex-solicitor loses appeal after Google search spewed out fake cases
Judge says court needs to take ‘decisive action’ to protect integrity of its processes from fake citations.
Solicitor struck off over rape conviction
Tribunal finds 'no words within the lexicon of regulatory and disciplinary conduct adequate to express the damage the respondent had caused'.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Director who failed to comply with court order suspended
Six-month suspension appropriate sanction ‘to protect the public and the reputation of the legal profession’.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Solicitor faces £30,000 costs over SRA fine appeal
Tribunal dismisses appeal over £8,000 sanction imposed by adjudicator panel for breach of a property sale undertaking.
Director who misled clients over failed claims struck off
Solicitor admits dishonest conduct over statements 'apt to lead' clients to believe personal injury claims had succeeded.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Solicitor who has not practised in years reprimanded by SDT
Sole practitioner did not engage with the ombudsman over a client complaint made in 2015.
Suspension for failure to disclose wife's property conflict
Tribunal finds experienced solicitor ought to have known about dangers of conflict of interest.
Immigration solicitor concealed visa rejection for more than a year
Partner at London firm had said case was on hold due to the Covid pandemic.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
SDT suspends partner made subject of restraint orders
Concerns expressed by ’several judges’ over the ‘unusual number and scale of applications’ made by Scott Halborg.
Solicitor arrested by SFO allowed firm to be used as £30m banking facility
William Osmond allowed the payments, despite there being no underlying legal transactions to justify them.
Ex-Orrick lawyer touched colleagues inappropriately, tribunal finds
City lawyer acted without integrity but did not exploit his senior position.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Former managing associate accepted he had 'upset' colleague
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hears the former managing associate, who denies allegations against him, said he was ‘sorry’ in message to colleague.
Former managing associate at US firm denies inappropriate touching
Male solicitor, who denies the allegations, is alleged to have touched two female colleagues on multiple occasions.
SDT dismisses case against immigration solicitor over Mail sting
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal finds ‘nothing’ within material before SDT ‘which would permit it to make an adverse finding’.
Solicitor struck off for faking client letters and misleading SRA
Sussex practitioner struck off after dishonest attempts to avoid regulatory sanction.
Solicitor fined £5,500 for failure to register clients’ pub purchase
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal approved agreed outcome and also ordered the lawyer pay £1,350 costs.
Solicitor endures six-year delay in billing misconduct case
Former Addleshaw Goddard partner admitted to misguided attempt at internal ‘housekeeping’.
High Court dismisses ex-junior lawyer’s strike-off appeal
Jack Grunhut claimed he had been guided by mentors 'who were not suitable for their roles'.
Solicitor suspended following stalking conviction
‘Serious nature’ of former City lawyer’s conduct meant ‘there was a need to protect the public’, SDT judgment says.
£300,000 fine for US firm over historical AML breaches
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal approves agreed outcome on the first day of the substantive hearing against Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
SRA overturns Dentons acquittal in AML case
International firm will face the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal again as High Court quashes SDT’s decision.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal)
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Equity partner fined £20,000 for anti-money laundering failures
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has also ordered the solicitor to pay £10,000 costs.
Law firm and partner ordered to pay £53,000 in fines and costs for AML failures
Sanctions imposed for 'failings which continued over a significant period of time'.
Former junior lawyer appeals strike-off over backdated trust deed
Jack Grunhut, admitted as a solicitor in 2019, argued that his conduct arose from inexperience and lack of supervision.
'Deeply caring' solicitor 'blurred lines' between legal work and counselling
Tribunal says solicitor who counsels sex offenders needs time away from profession.
Veteran solicitor lied to hospital to find out about client’s condition
Tribunal ends 50-year career of practitioner who admitted acting dishonestly.
SRA to bear costs of failed prosecution 'shambles'
SRA officer admitted that she had not carried out ‘wide-ranging investigation’ following firm's self-report.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Firm boss failed to disclose bulk claim flaws
SDT fines Bolton practitioner who tried to move into mortgage mis-selling claims with disastrous consequences.
Partner misled clients for two years about claim progress
Solicitor put problem down to his poor communication rather than any intention to deceive.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).