Jeremy Lloyd Orchard

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

Sole practitioner Jeremy Lloyd Orchard faced nine allegations centred on persistent failures to deliver Accountant's Reports (years ending 31 March 2007 and 2008), failure to respond to SRA correspondence, and various Solicitors Accounts Rules breaches (inadequate accounting records, no reconciliations, office money in client account, retaining client account interest). The firm was intervened into in March 2009. The Respondent did not appear. The Tribunal found all allegations substantiated, characterising his conduct as 'burying his head in the sand'. No express finding of dishonesty was made. He was suspended indefinitely from 23 June 2009 and ordered to pay costs of £3,019.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• Segregate client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Account for interest on client money

Aggravating factors:

• Persistent failure to meet regulatory requirements over some three years
• Repeated failure to respond to communications from his own regulator (regarded as serious)
• Put himself outside regulation so neither regulator nor public could know if practice was properly administered or client funds properly stewarded