Nancy Josephine Lee

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

The respondent, an assistant solicitor, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court of five counts of fraud (ss.1 and 2 Fraud Act 2006) for submitting false claims for train ticket refunds over a five-year period (2009-2013), dishonestly using a false claim of a family death. She self-reported, pleaded guilty, and admitted breaching SRA Principles 1, 2 and 6. The criminal court imposed a community order, compensation totalling £711.11, a £60 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs. The Tribunal found the allegation proved (admitted) and, finding no exceptional circumstances under SRA v Sharma, struck her off the Roll. Costs of £2,321 were ordered, not to be enforced without leave of the Tribunal given her financial difficulties.

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• Serve justice and improve the law
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct took place over a period of years (2009-2013)
• Involved fraud and a criminal conviction
• Repeated dishonest use of a distasteful false excuse (death in the family)

Mitigating factors:

• Self-reported promptly to the SRA
• Pleaded guilty and fully admitted the misconduct
• Cooperated fully and sought to bring proceedings to a swift conclusion
• Behaved impeccably since the conviction
• Acted under financial pressure and stress from a long commute