Mark Grenville Davies

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Mark Grenville Davies, a sole practitioner at Bennett Richmond Solicitors, admitted four allegations of misconduct including improper billing, causing a minimum £13,740 client account shortage, failing to notify executors of costs on probate matters, and overcharging two estates by £9,624.98 and £9,769.13. He admitted his conduct prior to 25 November 2019 was dishonest. Motivated by keeping the Firm's overdraft within its £85,000 limit, he raised improper invoices for work not undertaken. The Tribunal, on the papers via an Agreed Outcome, found his culpability extremely high and ordered him struck off the Roll, with no order as to costs given his bankruptcy.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• No conflict between current clients
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Good faith and courtesy to colleagues

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonest conduct sustained and repeated over many years
• Experienced solicitor, sole manager, COLP, COFA and MLRO responsible for compliance
• Improper billing on client matters causing client account shortage
• Overcharging estates, one by approximately four times the appropriate amount
• Deprived true beneficiaries of estate funds

Mitigating factors:

• Self-reported to the SRA
• Full cooperation and open admissions, demonstrated insight and remorse
• No previous adverse findings in a career since 1985
• Poor health (stroke February 2022 and heart failure)
• Not motivated by personal financial gain; modest earnings
• Marriage broke down since intervention