Michael Andrew Hopkins

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

The Respondent, an assistant solicitor, exchanged contracts in a conveyancing transaction in error and then misled his employer twice - first denying exchange had taken place and then purporting to read a fictitious fax confirming this. He admitted the conduct in letters to his employers and The Law Society. The Tribunal found the conduct dishonest applying the Twinsectra test and struck him off the Roll, ordering him to pay costs of £1,400.

Duties found breached:

• Honour professional undertakings

Aggravating factors:

• Misled employer on two separate occasions, including reading a fictitious fax over the telephone

Mitigating factors:

• Admitted and apologised for conduct
• Suffering from stress and depression due to marital breakdown and work pressures
• Recently qualified with inadequate training and supervision in property work
• Only failing in five years of employment