Respondent AE
Allegation / charges
Breaches, Lack of Integrity, SRA Principles 2011
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
Respondent AE, a Consultant Prison Law Solicitor, fabricated four fictitious clients and created false documents purporting to show representation and prison visits, then produced further false DIS1 forms and handwritten notes when challenged by her firm, with potential financial gain via billing the LAA and claiming mileage. The Tribunal found Allegations 1.1 and 1.2 proved (Principles 2 and 6) and made an express finding of dishonesty. It rejected her claim that her medical condition amounted to exceptional circumstances and ordered her struck off, with reduced costs of £6,000 given her limited means. The Respondent was granted anonymity and a private hearing on medical grounds.
Duties found breached:
Aggravating factors:
- Admitted dishonesty
- Deliberate, calculated and repeated misconduct
- Misconduct over a period of time (October-November 2018)
- Sought to conceal misconduct by subsequently fabricating false documents when challenged
- Must have known conduct breached obligations to protect public and reputation of profession
Mitigating factors:
- Open and frank admissions to the Firm and the Applicant
- Previously unblemished regulatory history