Krystel Marzan
Allegation / charges
Breaches, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
The Respondent, a solicitor admitted in 2014, faced two allegations. Allegation 1.1: while a director of Information Officers Limited (a non-SRA regulated practice), she submitted/caused to be submitted two LPAs to the OPG in July 2016 which she knew were misleading because they purported to show the donor signed on 4 August 2015 and that she witnessed the signatures, when the additional attorneys named were only decided upon in January 2016 (so the signatures could not have been applied in August 2015). Allegation 1.2: while a consultant solicitor at Richard Nelson LLP (Oct 2019-June 2020), she pre-signed conveyancing documents (mortgage deeds, personal guarantees, occupiers' consent forms) as a witness when she had not in fact witnessed the signatures. The Tribunal found all matters proved on the balance of probabilities, including an express finding of dishonesty on Allegation 1.1, but did NOT find dishonesty proved in relation to Allegation 1.2. The supplied text is truncated and does not include the sanction decision or any fine/costs figures.
Duties found breached:
- Good faith and courtesy to colleagues
- Integrity
- Proper basis for allegations
- Uphold public trust in the profession
Aggravating factors:
- Dishonesty found in relation to Allegation 1.1 (LPAs)
- Powers exercisable under LPAs are significant and donors may be vulnerable
Codes & rules applied
Duties engaged
- 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
- Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
- No obstruction or victimisation of reporters
- No own-interest conflict
- No payments to witnesses on evidence
- 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
- 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
- Self-report to the regulator
- Truthful, non-misleading advertising