Susan Louise Lowe

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

Susan Louise Lowe, a solicitor specialising in Court of Protection Deputyship work, was found to have misappropriated £170,025 from Deputyship accounts of four vulnerable clients (including unauthorised undocumented interest-free loans and costs taken after the clients' deaths), made an untrue statement to an SRA investigator about a transfer from Mr RB's account, and created a false memorandum to support that explanation. She also took £222,257.74 in management costs without seeking SCCO detailed assessment. The Tribunal made express findings of dishonesty (applying the Ivey test) on allegations 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3, and lack of integrity throughout. Finding no exceptional circumstances, the Tribunal struck her off the Roll and ordered her to pay costs of £15,392.90.

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• Cooperate openly with regulators

Aggravating factors:

• Misuse of funds belonging to vulnerable clients held in a fiduciary/trust position
• Course of conduct extending over three years
• Experienced solicitor and expert in Court of Protection Deputyship work, fully familiar with the rules
• Concealment and cover-up (misleading letter to OPG, creation of false memorandum, untrue statement to investigator)
• Creation of a false memorandum and untrue explanation to regulator

Mitigating factors:

• No previous disciplinary findings
• Sums taken were ultimately repaid
• No allegation that any client was overcharged
• Personal and family circumstances and a medical condition relapse at the relevant time