Alexander David Edmund Hayes Gallagher

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

Mr Gallagher, a self-employed advocate instructed by LPC Law, was late to a court hearing on 7 August 2023 and missed it; the judge adjourned the matter of his own volition. The following day, Mr Gallagher created an attendance note falsely stating that he had requested the adjournment and that defence counsel had told him she had not received certain documents. The Tribunal found these statements were untrue and that he knew them to be untrue when written, deliberately fabricating the note to cover his embarrassment over his lateness. Proceeding in his absence, the Tribunal found the allegation proved in its entirety, including breaches of Principles 2, 4 and 5 and Paragraph 1.4, and expressly found his conduct dishonest under the Ivey test. Finding no exceptional circumstances, the Tribunal struck him off the Roll and ordered him to pay £9,419.00 in costs.

Duties found breached:

• Good faith and courtesy to colleagues
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct was dishonest, deliberate and calculated
• Material breach of obligation to protect the public and maintain confidence in the profession
• Motivation was to cover up his lateness to court

Mitigating factors:

• Single episode of brief duration
• Otherwise unblemished career / no previous disciplinary matters
• Full and frank admissions to the Firm and during the SRA investigation
• Underlying lay client suffered no financial loss