Betty Igwebike Forde
Allegation / charges
Breaches, Client Money, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Failures, Money Laundering Regulations, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2019
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
Betty Igwebike Forde, sole practitioner of Anchor Legal Solicitors and the firm's COLP, COFA and MLRO, was found to have committed wide-ranging breaches of the SRA Accounts Rules 2019 between 31 July 2021 and 15 December 2022, including failing to maintain accurate records, keep a central record of bills, keep client money separate from office money, and undertake reconciliations. She also failed to properly account for client payments and the return of funds, and made or allowed LAA mental health tribunal claims for hospital attendances for which there was insufficient evidence the work was done. The hearing proceeded in her absence after she voluntarily failed to engage. All allegations were found proved on the balance of probabilities. There was no express finding of dishonesty; manifest incompetence was treated as an aggravating factor. The Tribunal ordered she be struck off the Roll and pay costs of £65,044.75.
Duties found breached:
- Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
- Act in the client's best interests
- No conflict between current clients
- Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
- Prompt accounting and return of money
- Proper basis for allegations
- Segregate client money
- Uphold public trust in the profession
Aggravating factors:
- Manifest incompetence alleged as an aggravating factor in respect of allegations 1.1 and 1.2
- Respondent was sole principal, COLP, COFA and MLRO with full responsibility
- Failed to remedy breaches despite numerous opportunities during a lengthy investigation
- Failed to engage with the regulator or the proceedings
Codes & rules applied
Duties engaged
- Account for interest on client money
- Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
- 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
- No improper use of client money
- Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
- No obstruction or victimisation of reporters
- No own-interest conflict
- No payments to witnesses on evidence
- No personal handling of client money
- 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
- Prompt accounting and return of money
- 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
- Segregate client money
- Self-report to the regulator
- Truthful, non-misleading advertising