Patrick Adrien Fitzgerald

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

The Respondent, an assistant solicitor, amended the date on a client's Form of Authority (originally signed 16 March 2014) to 14 July 2016 using a Post-It note over the original date, then sent the amended form to the client's former employer representing it as recently signed. Unbeknown to him, the client had died. The Tribunal found both allegations proved including dishonesty, finding he knew the document was inaccurate and that retrospective consent could not ameliorate his state of knowledge. The Tribunal ordered he be struck off the Roll and pay costs of £3,729. The hearing proceeded in his absence.

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• No conflict between current clients

Aggravating factors:

• Proven dishonesty
• Deliberate amendment of the Form of Authority and sending it to Employer A
• Knew conduct was in material breach of obligation to protect the public and maintain confidence in the profession
• Significant harm to reputation of the profession

Mitigating factors:

• Single episode in an otherwise unblemished career
• Voluntarily notified the SRA of police interest in his conduct
• Made full and frank disclosure as to the facts
• Conduct was, in his mind, a bid to preserve his client's position