Bhavani Rajaya Laxmi Hogarty, Maeve Teresa Vickery

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

The SRA brought allegations against two Equity Partners of Pardoes Solicitors LLP concerning failure to pay pension contributions (alleging lack of integrity and failure to maintain public trust) and retention of LAA professional disbursements in the office account. The Tribunal found the pension contribution allegations not proven, holding the Respondents took all reasonable steps once aware in September 2019 and did not lack integrity or undermine public trust. It rejected the no case to answer submission earlier but ultimately dismissed those allegations. The Respondents admitted strict-liability breaches of Rules 6.1 and 19.1(b) of the SRA Accounts Rules 2011 regarding the £7,737.02 legal aid disbursement shortfall, but the alleged failures to achieve Outcomes 7.2 and 7.4 were not proven, and Rule 7.1 was withdrawn. No dishonesty was alleged or found against the Second and Third Respondents. Given very low culpability and no harm, the Tribunal made no order as to sanction and, applying Broomhead, no order as to costs.was the full extracted result.}

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage
• Prompt accounting and return of money

Mitigating factors:

• Short duration of the breach
• Long and otherwise unblemished careers
• Strong character references attesting to honesty, integrity and trust
• Pragmatic admission of liability demonstrating genuine insight
• Breaches arose on strict liability basis from their position as Equity Partners rather than any personal act or omission
• Unaware of the legal aid payments issue until the SRA investigation