Nicholas Jackson

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

Nicholas Jackson, an experienced commercial property solicitor and Head of Commercial Property at Cullimore Dutton Solicitors, certified copies of a director's passport and driving licence as true copies of originals on 6 July 2022 and supplied them to the lender's solicitors, when he had not inspected the original documents nor met the client in person. He claimed he relied on high-quality electronic copies and a chain of trust with a long-standing client and asserted he viewed documents during a video call, but neither he nor the client could confirm such a call. The Tribunal found, applying Ivey, that he knew he had not inspected originals and certified falsely, amounting to dishonesty, lack of integrity, and failure to uphold public confidence. All allegations were proved. With no exceptional circumstances, he was struck off and ordered to pay costs of £30,480, not to be enforced without leave of the Tribunal.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• Integrity
• Not mislead third parties or opponents
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct was dishonest
• Misrepresentation made several times
• Planned course of action
• Breach of position of trust as employee and acting for client
• Experienced commercial property lawyer aware of significance of proper certification
• Serious harm could have resulted to the transaction and parties

Mitigating factors:

• No previous disciplinary findings / otherwise unblemished record