Matthew Smith

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

Matthew Smith, joint head of the Prison Law Department at Reeds Solicitors, submitted inappropriate expense claims for mileage and parking and created inaccurate attendance notes for prison visits that had not taken place, between June 2016 and April 2018, claiming up to £3,248.65. He admitted breaches of Principles 2 and 6 and admitted recklessness but denied dishonesty. The SRA, having secured agreement to strike off plus an undertaking never to reapply, considered it disproportionate to pursue dishonesty. The Tribunal approved the Agreed Outcome on the papers, struck him off the Roll, and ordered costs of £15,000. No express finding of dishonesty was made.

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Misconduct which was deliberate and calculated or repeated
• Misconduct continuing over a period of time (June 2016 to April 2018)
• A serious departure from required standards of integrity, probity and trustworthiness
• Respondent knew or ought reasonably to have known conduct was in material breach of obligations to protect the public and reputation of the profession
• Financial benefit to himself of up to £3,248.65
• Loss to the public purse as work was publicly funded via the LAA

Mitigating factors:

• Full admissions to all allegations except dishonesty
• Cooperation with both the firm's internal investigation and the SRA
• Engaged throughout the proceedings
• Personal circumstances/difficulties set out in side letter
• No suggestion clients received substandard legal advice
• Accepted he should no longer practise as a solicitor

⚠ figures not found verbatim in the source were dropped: ["review_dishonesty_finding_cue_present"]