Sharelle Camelia Harris

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

Solicitor Sharelle Camelia Harris was found to have acted dishonestly by giving false and misleading statements to a buyer's solicitors that a mortgage had been redeemed on completion (when it had not) and to a financial broker that her firm had three partners when it had only two. She also failed to carry out proper customer due diligence. The Tribunal found dishonesty expressly proved under the Twinsectra test for the 12 August, 5 September and 20 September 2013 communications and for the false statement to the broker. Two allegations (breach of undertaking and failure to respond to SRA letter) were not proved. The hearing proceeded in her absence. Finding no exceptional circumstances, the Tribunal struck her off the Roll and ordered her to pay costs of £19,500.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• Not mislead third parties or opponents

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonesty on several occasions across two unrelated matters
• Element of self-interest (covering up failure to redeem mortgage and securing work)
• Misconduct led to ongoing harm/litigation
• No insight into misconduct, particularly the lies told
• Embellished lies with further untruths
• Blamed her secretary (Ms Smith) falsely

Mitigating factors:

• No previous disciplinary matters