Heather Roberts

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

Heather Roberts, a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell LLP, deleted five email chains from the firm's case management system on 29 December 2021 concealing her involvement in amending a client's Particulars of Claim, which was the subject of a complaint. She selectively retained an email favourable to her while deleting those that did not reflect well on her. The Tribunal found the allegation proved in full, including dishonesty (applying Ivey), and breaches of Principles 2, 4 and 5 and Paragraph 3.5(a). Finding exceptional circumstances (limited duration, ill health, out of character, no gain or loss, no sophisticated cover-up), the Tribunal departed from strike-off and imposed a 12-month suspension plus costs of £24,948.70.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• Integrity
• Supervise staff and delegated work
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct aggravated by dishonesty
• Experienced solicitor
• Motivated to deflect blame onto a junior colleague she supervised and cast herself in a better light
• Element of basic planning in forming the idea of deleting emails
• Equivocal insight

Mitigating factors:

• Isolated, spontaneous incident ('moment of madness')
• Unblemished career and glowing character references
• No financial gain and no loss to client or firm
• Adverse health/mental health struggles and significant work pressure at the time
• No sophisticated cover-up; deletions easily uncovered
• Accepted from the outset that she deleted the emails
• Minimal risk of repetition
• Full cooperation with proceedings