Jonathan Charles Lewis

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

The Respondent, a solicitor at Keith Evans & Co, misappropriated £2,170 of client money across nine clients and delayed paying in a further £650 across four clients, using the funds for his own purposes. He concealed his actions by delaying opening files and sending client care letters, issuing informal handwritten receipts on compliments slips, and failing to inform the accounts department of monies received. He also failed to co-operate with the SRA. The Tribunal made an express finding of dishonesty applying the Twinsectra test. Given the dishonesty, absence of exceptional circumstances, and a previous disciplinary finding for misuse of client money, the Tribunal struck him off the Roll and ordered him to pay costs of £12,444.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Cooperate openly with regulators

Aggravating factors:

• Repeated misuse of client money on at least 12 occasions
• Deliberate and knowing breaches of the rules
• Steps taken to conceal actions (delayed files/client care letters, informal receipts, not informing accounts department)
• Previous disciplinary finding in 2012 also relating to misuse of client money, with misconduct occurring shortly after that hearing where he had been given a chance to remain in the profession
• Significant danger to the public and the profession

Mitigating factors:

• Acknowledged misconduct and expressed regret
• Relatively small amounts of money involved
• Clients reimbursed swiftly by the Firm (though not by the Respondent's own actions)
• Personal difficulties including severe financial hardship, bankruptcy, loss of marriage and home