Katherine Alexander-Theodotou

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

Dr Katherine Alexander Theodotou, sole principal of Highgate Hill Solicitors, faced Rule 14 allegations that she made false and misleading statements in two professional indemnity insurance applications (for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022) by failing to disclose three SRA forensic investigations and reports, two Legal Ombudsman awards, certified Rule 12 disciplinary proceedings, and an ongoing further investigation. The Tribunal found both allegations proved together with dishonesty (applying the Ivey test), as well as breaches of integrity and public trust. It rejected her defences that she relied on others to complete the forms, that her ill-health/visual impairment prevented proper completion, and that the broker already knew. The Tribunal found her highly culpable, with no mitigating features, and no exceptional circumstances to avoid striking off despite her involvement in lengthy Cypriot group litigation. She was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £124,830. The Rule 12 allegations were stayed with liberty to restore. Her subsequent High Court appeal was dismissed.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• Integrity
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Misconduct was dishonest, deliberate, calculated and repeated across two PII applications (2020 and 2021)
• Complete lack of insight - maintained she had done nothing wrong and would complete forms the same way again
• Consistently sought to attribute blame to others (deceased staff member NB, junior staff AK, broker Mr Jones, third parties, the SRA)
• Very senior and experienced solicitor holding all managerial roles
• Numerous opportunities to correct the position were not taken