Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Former solicitor jailed for paying off witnesses is refused restoration to the roll
Tribunal describes the application for restoration as ‘premature’ - matters leading to lawyer’s removal were of ‘utmost gravity’.
Uninsured solicitor did not tell clients of any problem
Kent practitioner continued to work on client matters and misled the SRA about status.
Solicitor struck off over ‘misleading’ time records
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal said the lawyer was ‘dishonest by the standards of ordinary decent people’.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
SDT dismisses case against Dentons as SRA left with massive costs bill
All allegations are found not proved following a six-day hearing over ‘insufficient checks’ on former client.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Solicitor who cut corners on witness signatures is struck off
Tribunal urges newly-qualified solicitors to exercise caution before professing to be an expert.
SRA has 'lost sight of context' on prosecution, Dentons tells tribunal
Firm says it did not breach anti-money laundering guidance or rules that were in place 10 years ago.
Global firm made few checks on client from corrupt regime, SDT hears
Tribunal hears that client relationship manager said compliance colleague raising concerns was a ‘prick’.
Lying solicitor admitted to bosses she ‘cocked up’
Tribunal hears that solicitor misled a client about cases and fabricated attendance notes.
Immigration solicitor caught in BBC sting appeals strike-off
Ex-solicitor, who appeared in court yesterday, claims he was ‘play acting’ and that recordings were tampered with.
Partner suspended for using colleague's electronic signature
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal said 'given the nature of the misconduct…a short suspension was an appropriate and proportionate penalty'.
Solicitor who acted in personal capacity without firm’s knowledge struck off
Practitioner admitted requesting and receiving money from six clients.
Solicitor struck off over 'inappropriate and offensive' tweets
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal makes no order as to costs and a substantive judgment will appear in due course.
Solicitor's tweets found to be antisemitic by tribunal
A final order, including sanctions and costs, will be delivered by the tribunal on Friday.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal)
Solicitor who told client to pay him directly avoids SDT
SRA states that misconduct was 'not so serious' that a sanction by the tribunal was necessary.
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 strung along client for years with false case updates
Hartlepool owner was dishonest to client and the client’s son, finds tribunal.
New solicitor who borrowed £630,000 from clients is struck off
Junior lawyer also backdated a document and took referral fees for passing clients to lender.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Covid campaign solicitor crowdfunds £32k before SDT appearance
Lawyer raises more than £30,000 to defend herself against allegations of sending letters threatening legal action over Covid safeguards for children.
Solicitor jailed for jury internet search suspended for eight years
Former Irwin Mitchell associate was ‘mortified’ by her momentary mistake which led to an aborted trial.
Solicitor banned for holding on to client fees
Kent practitioner arranged for elderly clients to pay cash and cheques to him.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Clyde fined £500,000 after admitting due diligence failure
Top-50 international firm admitted failing to carry out due dligence on a corporate client for more than five years.
Top 20 firm and former senior solicitor admit AML failings
Tribunal hears that documents provided for former client at Clyde & Co were six years old in 2014.
Senior associate struck off over 'falsified' PI claim form
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal finds London practitioner's motivation was to ‘get himself out of a problem’.
‘Lacked moral compass’ solicitor was not dishonest, tribunal rules
Yorkshire solicitor suspended after tribunal found he lacked integrity in handling client cases.
Solicitor’s indefinite suspension lifted after 15 years
Wales property specialist says his desire to get back into the profession had been 'reawakened'.
Solicitor banned for a year for sexual touching of paralegal
Solicitor, then 53, also rubbed 21-year-old on the shoulders once or twice a day, tribunal hears.
SDT halves SRA’s costs bill in solicitor’s withdrawn application
Tribunal judgment describes the SRA’s claim for costs as ‘excessive’ before determining a more ‘proportionate and reasonable’ figure.
SRA’s power grab arguments still don’t stack up
Regulator is barely capable of doing its current work, without taking on whole new powers.
Solicitor struck off for keeping firm afloat with legal aid payments
The SDT said at the time of the firm’s administration, experts and counsel were owed almost £650,000.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Judge overrules tribunal’s decision to slash SRA costs
Tribunal was in error when it slashed SRA’s claim for £22,800, High Court rules.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Family solicitor banned for misconduct committed at three different firms
Karen Nicholson found to have lied to her employers and to clients for personal gain.
Lying solicitor offered friend a fictitious training contract at his firm
Tribunal strikes off solicitor who engaged in 'cruel exchange' with woman who trusted him.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
SRA appeals 'astonishing' £5,000 tribunal costs order
Regulator's appeal against SDT costs order is a first, court hears.
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).
SDT slashing budget amid plans to downsize next year
Plans revealed to move to new premises with just two courtrooms compared with the current five.
Solicitor struck off after covertly filming junior colleague
Richard Ashley Smith admitted all the allegations against him and was ordered to pay £59,550 in costs.
Court grants request for client anonymity in SDT strike-off
Judge asserts that principle of LPP should not be balanced with other factors.
Solicitor subject of multiple complaints agrees suspension
Solicitor of 30 years offered probate service without being authorised.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Eversheds director cleared of Zoom ‘espionage’
Tribunal found Ronald Paterson was entitled to listen in to meeting discussing client’s future.
'Demonstrable misogyny' required strike-off, tribunal reveals
In 82-page written judgment, tribunal outlines reasons for striking off solicitor who took advantage of 18-year-old colleague.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Tweeting solicitor’s behaviour 'went well beyond bounds of acceptable conduct'
Recorder gives evidence at Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal over lawyer’s allegedly offensive social media posts.
Solicitor faces tribunal over ‘plainly extremely offensive’ tweets
Five-day hearing opens into ‘alleged…discriminatory, racist and offensive’ social media posts.
Decisions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).
Solicitor who avoided client calls struck off for dishonesty
Practitioner misled litigation friend for two years about the progress of her child’s case.
Strike-off for solicitors who helped unregistered barrister steal from clients
Solicitors at Edward Marshall provided SRA investigators with forged documents.
Decisions and interventions
Decisions filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal).