Ruth Elaine Butler

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

A solicitor failed to deliver to the SRA the half-yearly Accountant's Report for the period ending 29 February 2008, breaching a condition on her practising certificate and Section 34 of the Solicitors Act 1974. She admitted the failing by letter but never filed the Report. The Tribunal, noting a prior 2008 finding for similar failures, found the allegation proved and, given the repeated conduct, suspended her indefinitely and ordered costs of £1,660.75.

Duties found breached:

• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports

Aggravating factors:

• Previous Tribunal appearance on 24 January 2008 for failing to submit Accountant's Reports (periods ending 28 February 2006 and 31 August 2007), for which she was fined £500 plus costs
• Two Accountant's Reports now outstanding
• Failed to file the Report despite admitting the allegation and despite an Adjudicator's direction to file within 28 days