Decision record
Richard Adrian Hugh Pawsey
JurisdictionEngland & Wales
BodySolicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT)
Professionsolicitor
Case number9147/2004
Date01/01/2004
OutcomeSuspend - Indefinite
Allegation / charges
Breaches, Failures, Others
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
SanctionSuspension
CostsGBP 2,921
Dishonesty foundNo
Sole practitioner Richard Adrian Hugh Pawsey abandoned his Sheffield practice in April 2004 without making provision for supervision, failed to reply to Law Society correspondence, and failed to deliver his Accountant's Report due 31 January 2004. The Law Society intervened in July 2004. The Tribunal found all three allegations of conduct unbefitting a solicitor substantiated (uncontested). To protect the public and the profession's reputation, he was suspended indefinitely and ordered to pay costs of £2,920.94. No finding of dishonesty was made.
Duties found breached:
- No improper communication with the court
- No conflict between current clients
- Report serious misconduct of others
Aggravating factors:
- Abandoned practice and clients' interests with no explanation
- Regulatory requirement to file Accountant's Report remained outstanding at time of hearing
- No contact with Law Society or intervening solicitors during closure
Mitigating factors:
- Admissions of the allegations
- Attended the disciplinary hearing in person
- Expressed regret