Jayanthi Reddy Saganti

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

The Respondent, a sole practitioner at Jusprowess Solicitors and the firm's COLP/COFA/MLRO, misappropriated £80,000 from client account between January and September 2018 to fund office refurbishment and expenses, without client authority. The firm also fell victim to email fraud paying out £165,100 to fraudsters, leaving a minimum client account shortage of £245,100. The firm had no proper accounting records, no client account reconciliations since 2013, and no SRA Accounts Rules audit. The Respondent breached an undertaking to Appleby Shaw and borrowed £80,000 from a client without ensuring independent advice. The Tribunal found she had acted dishonestly (per Ivey test) with no exceptional circumstances. On an agreed outcome, she was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay £4,000 costs.

Duties found breached:

• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Firm governance, systems and compliance
• Honour professional undertakings

Aggravating factors:

• Involved dishonesty
• Deliberate and repeated conduct
• Continued over approximately 9 months
• Involved concealment of wrongdoing (failure to record withdrawals on ledger and report shortage)
• Material breaches of obligations to protect the public and the reputation of the profession

Mitigating factors:

• Apologised for falling below the standards expected of a solicitor