Jackie Daniel

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

Jackie Daniel, a non-solicitor office manager at Criminal Law Advocates, was found to have failed to arrange the firm's professional indemnity insurance while repeatedly assuring the partners (including her brother, a partner) that cover was in place. She submitted false Forms RF1 declaring insurer Z provided cover when it had lapsed on 30 September 2008, incompletely submitted the 2010-2011 form because there was no PII, and destroyed correspondence from the SRA and others to conceal her conduct. The Tribunal found the facts proved beyond reasonable doubt and found dishonesty (per Twinsectra) in respect of the PII and RF1 matters. It made an order under Section 43 restricting her employment by solicitors and ordered costs of £5,463.41. No dishonesty finding was made on the PG and HM claim matters as dishonesty was not pleaded there.

Duties found breached:

• Advise on alternatives, settlement and outcome
• Handle inadvertently received material
• Professional indemnity insurance

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct had dire consequences and appeared to be the sole reason for the closure of the firm
• Sustained and repeated lies to the partners including her brother
• Deliberate destruction of correspondence to conceal wrongdoing

Mitigating factors:

• Respondent provided a signed statement admitting much of the conduct