Michael Baker
Allegation / charges
Breaches, Lack of Integrity, Practice Framework Rules, SRA Principles 2011
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
Michael Baker, admitted 1992, had previously been suspended for one year (from 8 April 2015) for Accounts Rules breaches including acting without integrity. He then practised as a solicitor during his suspension and without a practising certificate (2016), worked at the firm without required SRA approval contrary to PC conditions and the 2015 SDT order, and completed sales of clients' properties/business/land before securing agreed loans against the land. He admitted all allegations, which were resolved by Agreed Outcome on the papers. The Tribunal found a serious lack of integrity and disregard for its orders but declined to strike off, imposing a 5-year suspension with post-suspension restrictions and £4,000 costs. No express finding of dishonesty was made.
Duties found breached:
Aggravating factors:
- Repeat misconduct (lack of integrity) committed shortly after the imposition of an earlier suspension
- Blatant disregard of the Tribunal's previous order and authority while aware of the decision
- Practised while suspended
Mitigating factors:
- Respondent co-operated with the SRA investigation
- Admitted the allegations in their entirety
- Matter resolved by Agreed Outcome
⚠ figures not found verbatim in the source were dropped: ["unverified_suspension_months=60"]