Laura Elizabeth Simpson
JurisdictionEngland & Wales
BodySolicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT)
Professionsolicitor
Case number12711/2024
Date22/08/2025
OutcomeStrike off
Allegation / charges
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
SanctionStrike Off
CostsGBP 3,000
Dishonesty foundYes
Mrs Simpson, a solicitor at Switalskis Solicitors, gave misleading information to Client A on three occasions (June-July 2023) by stating she had not received an expert report from Mr Raine-Fenning when she knew she had received it. She admitted she lied to "buy herself some time." She admitted the allegation in full, including dishonesty, which the Tribunal found proved. Applying Ivey, the Tribunal found her conduct dishonest. With no exceptional circumstances, she was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £3,000 (reduced from £30,330 claimed, given the fixed fee was excessive and her limited means).
Duties found breached:
- Good faith and courtesy to colleagues
- No conflict between current clients
- Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
Aggravating factors:
- Proven and admitted dishonesty
- Conduct was planned/deliberate
- Breach of trust placed in her by the client
- Experienced solicitor (qualified 2009)
- Caused harm to Client A, impacting her mental health and wellbeing
Mitigating factors:
- Full admission of the allegation, including dishonesty, at the outset
- Misconduct limited to a single matter
- Apologised and showed insight, acknowledging conduct was unacceptable
- Heavy caseload of complex cases at the time
- No previous disciplinary matters
Codes & rules applied
Duties engaged
- Act only on proper, lawful instructions
- Advise on alternatives, settlement and outcome
- Avoid wasting the court's time
- Cease acting on client perjury or disobedience
- Client-care and engagement terms
- Client confidentiality
- Competence
- Complaints procedure and handling
- Comply with and respect court orders
- Comply with rules of foreign jurisdictions
- Continuity and handover of representation
- Cooperate openly with regulators
- Costs and fee transparency to client
- Diligence and timeliness
- Disclose adverse law to the court
- Disclose material information to client
- Disclose referrals, commissions and benefits
- Fair dealing with unrepresented parties
- Fair, reasonable and lawful fees
- Full disclosure on ex parte applications
- Good faith and courtesy to colleagues
- Handle inadvertently received material
- Hold a current practising certificate
- Honour professional undertakings
- Keep client informed and respond promptly
- Maintain competence and CPD
- Manage conflict arising mid-matter
- No abuse of process or coercive powers
- No acting against a former client
- No baseless or threatened misconduct report
- No conflict between current clients
- No direct dealing with represented party
- No improper benefit, loan or bequest
- No improper communication with the court
- No improper fee-sharing or partnership
- No improper questioning of witnesses
- No improper solicitation or touting
- Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
- No obstruction or victimisation of reporters
- No own-interest conflict
- No payments to witnesses on evidence
- No personal opinion or familiarity with court
- No prejudicial publicity for pending cases
- No standing bail or surety for client
- No taking unfair advantage
- No tampering with or coaching witnesses
- Not mislead the court
- Not mislead third parties or opponents
- Not misrepresent regulated status
- Pay instructed practitioners and agents
- Professional indemnity insurance
- Proper basis for allegations
- Proper termination and return of instructions
- Prosecutorial duty of disclosure
- Prosecutorial fairness and impartiality
- Protect capacity and vulnerable clients
- Protect legal professional privilege
- Report serious misconduct of others
- Safeguard documents and limit liens
- Self-report to the regulator
- Truthful, non-misleading advertising