Susan Hartley

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

Susan Hartley, admitted 1986, faced two allegations: falsifying trustees' signatures on two cheques to HMRC (£2,900 and £3,517.81) from the RABS Trusts while at JWP Solicitors (2015-2016), and improperly withdrawing/misappropriating £8,891 from the TM Will Trust client account to pay a debt owed on the MEF Will Trust while at KBL Solicitors (2013). She admitted all allegations including dishonesty. The misconduct was motivated by concealing tax penalties that had accrued due to her late filing of returns. The Tribunal, dealing with the matter on the papers via an Agreed Outcome, found dishonesty proven over many years and struck her off the Roll, ordering costs of £5,000.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• Integrity
• Act in the client's best interests
• No conflict between current clients

Aggravating factors:

• Deliberate misconduct
• Dishonesty repeated over many years and across different firms
• Became ingrained behaviour
• Adverse effect on clients/trusts

Mitigating factors:

• Self-reported the misconduct to her employer
• Admitted all allegations including dishonesty
• No apparent financial gain other than keeping her jobs
• Losses subsequently rectified