Christopher William Hales

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

Solicitor Christopher William Hales was found guilty of professional misconduct for numerous breaches of the CML Lenders Handbook across 13 conveyancing transactions over more than a year, including failing to report back-to-back transactions, price uplifts, cashback arrangements and third-party deposits to lender clients, plus breach of the Accounts Rules. The Tribunal considered he must have been aware he might be facilitating mortgage fraud. He admitted the misconduct but did not attend. The Tribunal struck his name from the Roll of Solicitors and ordered him liable for expenses (excluding the cost of the voluminous bundle of productions). No express finding of dishonesty was made.

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage
• Not mislead third parties or opponents
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper benefit, loan or bequest
• No improper use of client money

Aggravating factors:

• Ongoing course of conduct over more than one year (April 2010 to July 2011)
• Large number of transactions (13)
• Conduct likely to seriously damage the reputation of the legal profession
• Respondent's knowledge of central role of Mrs A and Company 3, which should have set alarm bells ringing
• Possibility that he was facilitating mortgage fraud; generated fees by allowing it to occur

Mitigating factors:

• Respondent had ceased practice
• Cooperated by admitting averments of fact, duty and misconduct